Discoveries
by merrow
Summary: What happens after Yuki and Kyou's secret is exposed to Tooru's friends. Nothing too explict, KyouXTooruXYuki Pairing
1. Elements

It was discovered. Hana-chan stared down at Yuki's mouse form, Uo-chan's back pressed against hers as she stared down at the arched orange cat. Tooru stood in shock on the other side of the table. It had happened so fast. They had been playing cards when Uo-chan and Kyou had begun arguing again. It quickly escalated so that they were both standing and shouting in each other's faces. Hana-chan sighed and stood, reaching for the empty bowl to get more snacks. Yuki stood out of politeness and Tooru continued to shuffle the cards. Kyou raised his hand to gesture and Uo-chan had grabbed it and pulled, probably intending to twist him into a headlock. But the move had surprised him and he fell forward against her. A bright orange cloud of smoke appeared, and Uo-chan stepped back from the shocked looking cat at her feet.   
  
"W-what?" She cried, pressing further back.  
  
She jostled Hana-chan who gave a small cry as she fell forward onto Yuki who had been staring wide-eyed at Uo-chan and Kyou. Tooru jumped to her feet as a second cloud went up and Yuki disappeared into his clothes at Hana-chan's feet.   
  
"A mouse?" She said, sparks flashing behind her eyes. Both Hana-chan and Uo-chan looked over to Tooru who stood white faced on the other side of the table. She stuttered and stammered, but there was no explanation but the truth. It had been discovered.  
  
The story had been told, once the boys had changed back, and the girls had since left minds reeling but sworn to secrecy. Kyou, Yuki and Shigure sat at cross-legged at the table while Tooru cooked in the kitchen. It was a sign of how serious it was that no recriminations flew between the mouse and the cat. No blame was placed, for they both knew this wasn't the time for petty arguments.   
  
"Akito will have to be told." Shigure's face was expressionless his usual humor buried.   
Both boys refused to look at him; they'd known it even as they'd told Honda's friends the story of their curse. They knew that their memories would not remain intact. And once Akito knew, the girls would be receiving a visit from Hatori, as would Honda.  
  
"Couldn't we just erase this day?" Kyou flared, pounding a fist on the table. "They don't have to forget everything! She could keep one more secret!" No need to say who she was, her presence was at the heart of the conversation.  
  
Shigure didn't speak. Yuki kept his head down, his hand brushing his hair back, "Baka Neko," he sighed, but there was no rancor, just deep weariness. "Akito will never be satisfied with that. If they found out once, they'll find out again. As long as she is here..." He trailed off hopelessly.  
  
"But where will she go? Back to that family of hers? No way!" Yuki couldn't meet his gaze, and hid his face in his arms folded against the table. Kyou's face flushed, "We can't send her back to those harping, cruel-"  
  
"Do I have to leave?" Honda stood in the doorway, wide eyed with a piping crock of something undoubtedly delicious forgotten in her hands. The boys looked up at her, both faces flushed. She put the bowl on the table and began serving the boys. "I thought I might. Will H-hatori-" her voice faltered as she spooned the meal into Shigure's bowl. She looked up, and was not reassured. "It's okay." She said and forced a smile. "You have to do what is best for the Souma's." She turned a dazzling smile, only slightly damp with tears to the two boys. "Please become friends with me again soon." A teakettle whistled, and she jumped up to answer its call.   
  
Shigure dipped into his bowl, "So Good!" Wordlessly both Kyou and Yuki left the table. Shigure's eyes followed them, dark and unreadable.  
  
* * *  
  
Tooru sat in her dark room holding her mother's picture. Shigure had left hours ago, and she could hear Kyou creaking on the roof. Yuki she assumed was at his secret base. "Mother," she set the picture up and stared at the smiling face, "I have to leave again." She tried to picture what her mother's response to the situation would be. She was sure it would be full of encouragement, and she would be told to strive and be strong. Her memories of her mother kept her alive forever in her heart. She couldn't help but let the tears fall when she realized that soon she would have no memories of the two wonderful people who had come to mean so much to her. She dearly wished that her mother were there to hold her now. She began to pack her possessions.  
  
* * *  
  
Yuki met Kyou as he descended from the roof, the dark haired boy's fists clenched and delicate frame rigid. "We could leave."  
  
Kyou's eyes widened, but he quickly nodded. "My place in the mountains, not even my Master knows where it is. They wouldn't be able to find us, not for a long time."   
  
"We need to leave before Shigure returns. Hatori may be coming back with him. We'll need food, and blankets, unless there's..." Yuki trailed off looking at Kyou. He shook his head.  
"No, there's not much there, since it was just me. You go get food and supplies. I'll pack our things." They both wheeled and went to work, as if they had never had a quarrel between them. There was something more important uniting them now.   
  
Tooru looked on the two with wide eyes when she opened her door to their knock a short time later. They stood straight backed and determined before her; both carried rucksacks and wore jackets. Yuki held a food hamper in his hands and Kyou held Tooru's coat and scarf.  
"W-what-" she started, but was cut off by a flushing Kyou.   
  
"We're going...going to my place in the mountains. Where I trained."  
  
"But-" she began again looking back and forth between them. Kyou helped her into her jacket while Yuki gathered her things. He handed her the frame with her mother's picture. He looked down at her gently and tucked her scarf securely around her.  
  
"They won't be able to find us there Honda-san. It will give us time to think of...something."   
  
Tooru looked down at her mother's picture and then up at the boys. Her agreement was wordless, and they quickly left the house dark and silent. When Shigure returned later he knew instantly that the house was empty, and smiled. 


	2. Earth

When they finally reached their destination bone weary and ragged, several days later, the three had barely time to wrap themselves in blankets before falling into a dreamless sleep. The journey had been nerve-wracking and long. They had traveled at night; not knowing what kind of alarm had been raised about them. Surely their presence had not only been missed at home. By now they had missed school, and they didn't know what kind of pursuit would be after them. It could be that they only had to worry about being chased by Akito, but the authorities might have been called in as well. They had slept in shifts just a few hours at time and had avoided people whenever possible. Honda hid her hair in a cap and dressed in Yuki's or Kyou's clothes anytime they had to appear in public, and Kyou hid his bright orange hair under the hood of his sweatshirt. It was a relief when they finally were able to let down their guard, and the three slept restfully for the first time in too long.  
  
The next morning Tooru began to set Kyou's mountain hide-away to rights. Little more than a one-room shack haphazardly built it was in shambles after being abandoned for so long. Yuki went out with his mice colonies to see if he could find any food to scrounge and Kyou set to work fixing some of the fallen boards on the outside of the house. The three had barely spoken in their flight except for hushed planning and plotting to move them forwards towards their destination. By now they had gotten used to the companionable silence and kept their minds carefully blank as they went about their work. They would have to talk soon, but all were eager to delay it.   
  
"Watch out!" Kyou called as he tossed a rotten board off the roof. There was a crash and the red-haired boy looked over the edge of the roof. Yuki glared up tubers and nuts scattered around him. The board had crashed right through his hands full of food and the warning had come to late for him to get out of the way.  
  
"Baka Neko" he muttered automatically as he bent to pick up the food. "Clumsy as usual."  
  
"What!? You're the one that wasn't watching where he was going! Why is it my fault, kuso nezumi!" Kyou jumped down from the roof waving the rock he was using as a makeshift hammer. "You're the kind of guy who can't even make a paper crane, lets see you make a house!"  
  
"Some house," Yuki's eyes narrowed and he straightened, "you're the one throwing things about without looking first-" Kyou grabbed at Yuki's shirt, but Yuki continued, "Honda-san can't live in a house that's falling down around her ears."  
  
Kyou's mouth opened to respond when he was interrupted by a giggle.   
  
Tooru stood in the doorway of the house, handkerchief tied around her hair, looking smudged, dirty, and beaming happily. "Now this really feels like "home"." She laughed. "I've made some tea if you'd like some."  
  
Kyou and Yuki stared at her beaming face and felt instantly foolish. Kyou released Yuki's shirt. "Unn," Yuki replied smiling, "We'll be inside in a moment." Tooru went inside to Yuki bent to pick up the food scattered on the ground. Kyou scratched the back of his head and put his hammer rock up against the side of the house then bent to help. They walked inside and placed the nuts, berries and yams on the table.   
  
Tooru poured the tea and admired the bounty, "Amazing Souma-kun! We'll be able to roast yams later." She smiled at Yuki and he blushed and looked away brushing his hair back. Kyou's eyes slid away to look out the doorway, Tooru noticed and turned to him "Kyou-kun is amazing too! It's wonderful that you built this house all by yourself. It even has a hearth to cook on!" Kyou leaned back away from Tooru who leaned in nose-to-nose.  
  
"It-its nothing, the roof leaks and it's drafty. And the hearth smokes." Kyou flushed and looked to the side. He and Yuki's eyes met and they both felt themselves tense.  
  
Seemingly oblivious to the tension, Honda sat down to drink her tea "Souma-kun and Kyou-kun are both so remarkable!" She smiled and spaced out happily as she drank her tea. Yuki and Kyou looked at Tooru and felt themselves relax.   
  
* * *  
  
That night the mood was different. Before they had all been so tired that they more or less slept where they fell not paying much attention to where they lay. Tonight as Tooru lay out her roll, Yuki and Kyou looked about self-consciously. Both tried to calculate how close they could lay out their rolls to Tooru with out the other accusing them of being perverts. Tooru sneezed and shivered as a cold wind blew through the shack.  
  
"Ah, Honda-san," Yuki stepped forward, "You should sleep closer to the fire...where it's warm." He moved her roll closer to the hearth.  
  
"Here." Kyou handed her one of his blankets, "You'll get sick if you're cold. You know how easily you get a fever."   
  
"Oh, no!" Tooru said raising her hands looking back and forth between them, "I couldn't! Don't worry I'm strong!" She straightened as she was hit by a realization, "That's right! We should put our beds together, then we can all be near the fire and be warm. We can share blankets too."  
  
"Ah..." both boys flushed and made to protest, but Tooru re-arranged the beds so that Yuki and Kyou's rolls were on either side of hers. She lay down and spread the blankets across the three bed-rolls. Blushing furiously Kyou lay down on his side, his back to Tooru, and Yuki followed suit. Tooru closed her eyes and pulled the blankets up to her chin. She let out a deep sigh of contentment. The sigh seemed to release the tension in the room and both boys felt their bodies relax though they still were unable to sleep. Soon they heard her breath deepen and knew that she was dreaming.  
  
"So warm..." she whispered in her sleep. Yuki felt the warmth creeping through him and drifted off. Kyou fought it for a while unwilling to let the seeping heat relax his guard but finally he too succumbed to sleep.  
  
* * *  
  
He awoke first his eyes fluttering open. He stared into Tooru's sleeping face, feeling completely at peace. Sometime during the night he'd shifted to his other side and she'd shifted to hers so that she lay facing him. Deep even breaths told him that it would still be a while before she woke. He realized his hand was near her curled hand on the pillow and marveled at how close his knuckles were to brushing against hers. Something caught his attention and he found himself looking into the sleepy eyed Yuki on the other side of Tooru. Something in him knew that the other was not completely awake yet and he couldn't rouse himself to glare, the warmth between them completely undoing him. Yuki's eyes were slitted but he wasn't really conscious or aware yet. Like Kyou he'd shifted to face Tooru in his sleep and now stared at her neck with a fall of hair drifting over it. His attention focused on the strands of hair he grasped in his hand. It was so soft. He rolled it between his thumb and forefinger, enjoying the heavy weight of warmth and contentment flowing through him. His gaze shifted and met Kyou's eyes over her shoulder and could tell the delicious heat was flowing through him too. His eyes fell shut and he couldn't trouble himself to open them again drifting back into sleep.   
  
Something crackled in the fire and Kyou looked at the hearth the fire was almost out. He looked to the side of the hearth and realized they were low on firewood. Slipping out from beneath the blankets he made to go out. He heard a small noise as he slipped out of bed and looked back to see that Tooru had curled up, missing his body heat. A little half smile played around his lips and he tucked the blankets around her.  
  
When he returned Honda was up and brewing tea on the hearth, and cooking the last of the rice they'd brought with them. Yuki was still in bed. Honda had piled the rest of the blankets on his slumbering form. She beamed at him as he dropped the wood by the fire. He sat at the crude table they'd cobbled together of old boards and some tall stones.  
  
"Did you sleep well?" She placed a bowl of rice and a mug of tea in front of him.   
  
He blushed and scratched the back of his head. He picked up his chopsticks and began to eat. "Un," he said around a mouthful of rice. His eyes slid away from her smiling face as he remembered how sweet her unguarded sleeping face had been. His eyes rested on Yuki, still sleeping beneath the mound of blankets. "Kuso Nezumi," He muttered, "How lazy."  
  
Tooru followed his gaze and giggled, "Souma-kun isn't a morning person, is he."  
  
"He's going to sleep through breakfast if he doesn't get up soon." Kyou spat, "Oy, Nezumi, wake up!" Yuki stirred but didn't wake. Cursing, Kyou stood and went over to the bed, and nudged him with his toe. "It's getting cold!"  
  
Yuki moved fast, thrusting his arm out from beneath the blankets, knocking Kyou's feet out from beneath him. Sitting up and rubbing the sleep from his eyes he looked around. He stood and walked past Kyou prostrate on the floor. Sitting at the table he looked blearily at the mug of tea a white faced Tooru placed before him. "Thank you, Honda-san." He coughed a little and took a sip.  
  
"O-o-y, Oy!" Kyou deftly leapt to his feet. His hair stood on end and his eyes were huge. "What do you think you're doing first thing in the morning? You want to get it on?!"   
  
Yuki tried to rub the sleep out of his eyes and feeling heavy limbed, "Baka Neko," he started but was cut off by more coughing. He looked up to see Tooru's face inches from his own.  
  
"Are you alright? Your face is red." She reached out and laid a cool hand across his forehead. Yuki flinched but forced himself not to retreat. "A-haaa! You have a fever!" She looked over Yuki's head at Kyou. Kyou met her eyes and was surprised that he felt the concern he saw mirrored in her eyes. She dropped her hand to Yuki's. "You should get back in bed, under the blankets."  
  
Blushing more from her touch than the fever, Yuki protested wide-eyed, "Unn...No really Honda-san, I'm fine. I'm just a little tired this morning."  
  
Tooru looked up at Kyou again, worry and concern radiating from her. Kyou closed his eyes, and wanting to ease her anxiety found himself speaking, "Go back to bed stupid!" he spat, causing Yuki to look up at him in shock, "K-kuso Nezumi! What are we supposed to do if you get really sick? We can't very well call Hatori can we?" He flushed and looked away from the both of them. Yuki stared at him wide-eyed.  
  
"Un." He closed his eyes and brushed back his hair. "I understand." He finished his tea and went back to the bed on the hearth. He looked up at Kyou and caught his eye, "I'll leave looking for today's food in your hands."  
  
Kyou's back straightened and he nodded, "I'll take care of it." He wheeled on his heel and stalked out of the room. Honda smiled.   
  
* * *  
  
The next day dawned with Yuki fairing no better. His breathing had worsened, and he didn't even attempt to rise from their bed. Honda bathed his forehead with cool cloths, and fretted. Kyou stalked around alternately annoyed at Yuki for worrying them and at himself for worrying at all for that stupid mouse. There wasn't any more rice, and the tea had run out that morning. Tooru had managed to make a soup but sick youth had been unable to drink much of it. Finally Kyou had come to a decision.  
  
"There's a village, not too far down the mountain. We've got a little money; I could go in get some medicine. And some food."   
  
Yuki struggled to sit up, "No, we can't. You're too distinctive. If someone sees you we'll be found. I'll be fine. I just need to rest. We wouldn't have to buy food if you were better at finding it..."  
  
"We're on a mountain, there isn't that much food to find!" Kyou's hair stood on end and his shoulders tightened.   
  
"I didn't have too much trouble," the pale boy goaded, and then began coughing in earnest. Kyou cut off his response as he watched Yuki struggle to breathe. It wouldn't be long till he would weaken so much that he'd transform. He remembered Hatsuharu saying how it would be worse on Yuki if he were in his mouse form.   
  
"Umn..." Tooru spoke timidly. "I could go." Both boys turned to stare at her. "If I wear Kyou's clothes and my hat, no one would even know I was a girl. I could buy some more rice, tea and get some medicine." She turned and spoke earnestly to Kyou, "You stay here and take care of Souma-kun. You can count on me!" Kyou backed up and looked at Yuki for help. Let her go alone? Impossible!   
  
Yuki was surprised at how easily he read Kyou's panicked look. "Honda-san, you don't even know the way." Yuki protested. He looked up at Kyou; "I'll be fine by myself. You take her down to the village, but stay out of sight." The red-haired boy nodded, and put his hooded sweatshirt on. Tugging the hood up he pulled out some clothes for Tooru.  
  
"But-" Tooru started.  
  
"I'll just stay in bed and sleep. I don't need that Baka Neko to sit here and watch me. I can sleep better without him here." He looked up at Kyou and saw that the boy understood there was no malice behind his words. He wondered to himself when exactly that had happened.  
  
Finally Tooru nodded. "Yes, I understand." She tucked Yuki firmly into bed and made sure that he had water nearby. She turned to Kyou, "Lets go." 


	3. Fire

The path down into the village was long, curving and littered with rocks and stones. It could hardly be called a path at all. It was more of a deer track going winding down the mountain. After the third time Tooru nearly fell into the sharp rocks Kyou irritably took her hand.  
  
"Idiot!" Kyou gritted, using a steadying hand to keep her from tumbling down. "Can't you watch where you're putting your feet? Do you want to be bloody by the time we reach the bottom?"  
  
"A-ah! Sorry, Kyou-kun!" Tooru squeezed her eyes shut and apologized profusely, for a about the millionth time. Kyou blushed, and cursed the warmth that heated his face. Keeping a hold of her hand he stepped in front of her.  
  
"Here, walk right where I step, and be careful!" They picked their way down the mountain, Kyou trying to concentrate on picking the best places to step and not on the feel of her hand in his. The path widened about halfway down and Tooru tugged him to a stop.   
  
"Oh, Its so pretty!" Kyou stopped and glanced at the expanse around them, the dotted trees flowing into the valley with the little village peeking out among the trees. He glanced at her to tell her they should keep moving and felt his heart constrict. Honda stood one hand on her cap and the other in his glowing happily at the scenery. Strands of hair fell out from beneath her cap and blew in the breeze. She was outlined with dappled light from the trees just starting to bud. A little smudge of dirt on her nose caught his attention and he stepped close and used his thumb to stroke down the bridge of her nose to rub it off. Kyou found himself staring down into Tooru's liquid eyes, he'd brought their joined hands up between them and was grasping her hand tightly against his chest.  
  
"Eh?" Kyou watched as pink bloomed across her cheeks. "Eh?" Tooru repeated blinking in surprise. Kyou flinched and stepped back, self-conscious.  
  
"You had a dirt-thing on your nose." He muttered tugging her after him. "Are you a girl or not?"  
  
Tooru brought her free hand up to her face, "Oh no! Is it gone?" Kyou nodded and stared resolutely ahead. "Thank you, Kyou-kun." The path widened so they could walk side by side but Kyou didn't release her hand and Tooru didn't try to reclaim it. Kyou felt the warmth from the other morning seeping in to him again and felt something loosen in his middle. He had a sudden guilty flash of a slight form buried under blankets in the shack up the mountain and gritted his teeth. Why should he feel guilty about that stupid mouse? He hated that guy! He hoped he'd die! Then his stomach dropped out at the thought. His mind flashed to thoughts of Tooru's certain grief and wondering at the empty hole that presented in his own life. That guy better not die till he'd beaten him.  
  
"K-kyou-kun." Kyou looked down at Honda. She looked concerned and he wondered how much of what he'd been thinking had chased across his face. Tooru could be surprising like a mind reader at times. "Do you know where the pharmacy is?"  
  
Kyou looked up to see that they had entered the outskirts of the village. "Un." He replied and looked back down at her. The dirt was gone but her hair still fell out around from beneath the cap. She seemed lost inside his baggy khaki cargo pants and loose sweatshirt. She looked earnestly back up at him, and his insides tumbled around some more. "I-idiot. Fix your hat, and try to look more like a boy." He dropped her hands and thrust his into the pocket of his sweatshirt. "This way."  
  
"Ah, of course!" Tooru fixed her hair and tried to concentrate on looking like a boy. They walked to the pharmacy and Kyou skulked in shadows of a nearby alley while Honda went in. A small group of guys approached and he retreated back before they could see him. Leaning against the wall the boys discussed the merits of the females of the population as they passed. Kyou resolutely ignored them and stared at the door of the pharmacy waiting for Honda to reappear. He found his attention wandering as the minutes ticked by.  
  
"Hey, hey lookit that one."  
  
"That one there? In the hat? Cute isn't she?"  
  
"You go for that tomboy type? I like a girl in a dress."  
  
"For her I'd make an exception, she looks like she'd be a lot of fun."  
  
"They're all better undressed anyway" The boys' laughter was cruel.  
  
Kyou's ears pricked and he looked back at the door, not surprised to see Tooru in the doorway looking around. She may be dressed in boys' clothes, but the whole delicate way she held herself fairly screamed "girl". Fuming he waited for her to walk down the street so he could join her without being noticed. They'd agreed to meet further down so people wouldn't know they were together. He watched her look around and realized she'd forgotten which way to go. The idiot.   
  
"Haven't seen her around her before, I'd remember."  
  
"She looks lost."  
  
"Maybe we should offer some directions, heh." The boys laughed again and wandered across the street. Ranging around a startled Honda, the pasted smiles across their faces. She looked back and forth between them uncertainly.  
  
"You look lost."  
  
"You lost, girlie?"  
  
"Y-yes...do you know where the market is?" Honda clutched her package.   
  
"The market?"  
  
"We know where the market is, don't we guys?"  
  
"Yeah we were just going there, you can come with us."  
  
"Right, right, we were, you can get with tea with us on the way."  
  
Tooru smiled tentatively and held up her hands, medicine hanging from one. "Oh no, I couldn't. I have to get back."   
"Ah!" Tooru cried as one plucked the package out of her hands.  
  
"Aw c'mon, have a little fun." The boys tossed the package back and forth between them as she spoke, forcing her to look back and forth between them.  
  
"Yeah, fun, you look like fun."  
  
"Have some fun and then you can go to the market, its not going anywhere." The boy dangled the bag in front of her. Tooru tried to grab it but he tossed it to the side.  
  
The next boy held it up tauntingly, "C'mon you know how to have fun don't you? Or have you forgotten how to be a girl in those boys clothes?"  
  
Tears pricked in Honda's eyes, "Please give it back, it's Souma-kun's medicine!"  
  
"Souma-kun?"  
  
"See I knew she looked like fun, who's Souma-kun? Your boyfriend?"  
  
"N-no!" Honda stammered, and leaned forward, "Please, he's sick and he needs that!"  
  
"What will you give me if I do?" the boy laughed, and pulled her close. Honda started to pull back when the boy was suddenly pulled away from her.  
  
"Oooy," a tall girl stood menacingly behind him, "Can't you see the girl isn't interested?"  
  
"Kin-san!" the boys looked shocked and backed away. The girl wore a long coat with complicated kanji going down one arm. Kyou stepped back into the alley he'd been about to sprint from.  
  
"I've told you guys before that this is my area, beat it." Kin gestured over her shoulder and the boys made a hasty retreat. Kin grabbed one as he passed her and plucked Yuki's medicine out of his hands. She dropped it into Tooru's. "Hey, girl, you got to stand up for yourself more. If you say no and mean it they'll listen."  
  
"Thank you!" Honda bowed deeply. She looked up and smiled. Kin seemed taken aback. "Kin-san is a very nice person!"  
  
The girl looked shocked and tugged on her long bleached blond hair, "You don't know that! I could be a horrible person."  
  
"No way!" Tooru shook her head vigorously, "A horrible person wouldn't have helped me! A horrible person would have just walked right by. I'm sure Kin-san is a very good person." She looked hesitant for a minute. "Ummn...do you know where the market is?"  
  
The girl laughed, and pointed down the street. "Its that way. Be sure to be careful now."  
  
Honda turned to go, thanking her as she went.  
  
"Oy," Kin looked at her out of the corner of her eye, "Didn't you know what this means?" She didn't gesture but her whole stance took in the coat, the kanji, and her hair.  
  
Honda smiled, "It means Kin-san is in a gang." Kin looked at her wide-eyed. "Mother was in a gang and Uo-chan. There are kind people in that world too." Tooru smiled and waved as she ran down the street. Kin shook her head and laughed, waving back.   
As Tooru rounded the corner, Kyou stepped out in front of her.  
  
"IDIOT!" Tooru's face froze in funny half smile. "What did you think you were doing?! First you let those guys push you around then you talk with that Yankee! Jeeze, I can't leave you alone for a minute!" Kyou stalked off walking fast, mad at her for putting herself in position to make him worry and mad at himself for snapping at her.  
  
"Sorry! Sorry!" Tooru tried to walk and bow at the same time as she chased after him. She managed to catch up to him. "Kyou-kun is so sweet for worrying!" She gave herself a little knock on the head, "Sorry I'm such an idiot." She smiled up at him. Then suddenly looked around. "Aah! I'm not supposed to walk next to you! Someone might see."  
  
"There's no one to see. Its fine." Kyou felt all the anger pour out of him and vaguely resented the fact that she had such power over him. He looked down at her as she walked, smiling happily and clutching the package with the medicine in it. He felt that funny flip in his stomach again. "What is it about you that makes people want to protect you?"  
  
"Eh?" Tooru looked up at him naively. "Eh?" Kyou just smiled at her.  
  
He waited outside the market while she went in. As the minutes ticked by and she didn't return his mind began to imagine what could be happening to her. Perhaps those guys from before had found her? When he couldn't take it anymore he pushed through the door and stalked through the isles looking for her. He found her standing at the end of a row and was about to yell at her when he saw the look on her face. Her eyes shimmered and she looked so melancholy. It wasn't something he was used to seeing on her face. He came up behind her silently and looked over her head to see what she was watching.  
  
"Turn around honey to let Mrs. Hanichi see your uniform."  
  
A young teenage girl spun slowly in place, embarrassed grin on her face. A woman with a shopping basket looked at her proudly. Another woman stood opposite and her hand to her cheek. "Ara! I know that uniform, that school is very hard to get into!" She smiled at the woman across from her. "I can see why you're so proud of your daughter. She must have worked very hard to get into such a good school."  
  
"She is a credit to us!" the woman nodded. "You know I never got to go to high school, it makes me so happy to see her entering into her high school life."  
  
"Moooother..." the girl protested, "you're embarrassing me." She smiled, obviously not as upset as she'd like them to think. The woman smiled back and kissed her lightly on the top of the head.  
  
Kyou watched as the group continued to walk down the aisle away from them. He knew Honda had to be thinking of her mother and her promise to graduate high school in her memory. That promise was little more than ashes now that he and Yuki had taken her away. They'd missed so much school now that they'd probably be held back a year, if not expelled completely. He placed a hand on her shoulder.  
  
"Kyou-kun" she said, and blinked.  
  
"Let's get back." She nodded and went to pay for the groceries. They walked back up the mountain in silence, the easy mood of the way down shattered. 


	4. Ice

Yuki opened his eyes and admitted to himself that he was not going to be able to sleep. He was achingly tired and his limbs all felt as if they were made of lead. He felt like he could count every breath he was taking and every breath seemed like such an effort. He propped himself up against the wall near the hearth and fed another bit of wood into the fire. Sitting up helped a bit and he could feel the warmth of the fire reflecting into him. His chest loosened a little and his eyes drifted shut. A flash of dark eyes in another dark room a long time ago made his breath catch for an entirely different reason. His eyes flew open and for a minute didn't see the rough shack around him but a sterile shadowy room and a murky outline advancing. He was cold as ice, and rivers of frost flowed through his veins. He felt as though he was freezing solid. His throat closed completely and his eyes rolled in panic. He couldn't breathe, it was dark, his hands flailed out to brace against the wall. He heard something clatter and looked down.  
  
The picture of Tooru's mother grinned back up at him, and he felt his breath explode out of him. He sucked in a deep breath and even when he immediately fell into coughing was relieved. Tooru wouldn't leave her mother's picture in such a place as he remembered. That was another place, another time, and he was never going back there again. He leaned painfully forward and picked up the photo. Tooru would never forgive him if it were damaged. He placed it so he could see it from where he was sitting and adjusted it so that it looked like it was smiling at him. That was unfair to Tooru...she would forgive him. He had a feeling that she would forgive anything done to her, any hurt, any slight. He remembered how she had chastised Kyou for speaking unkindly of her aunt and uncle. He felt uncomfortably warm, and knew it wasn't the fever. Anytime he thought of how they'd made her cry...He pushed dark hair out of his eyes and glowered at the photo. Tooru's mother smiled on, oblivious to the mouse's ire. He closed his eyes irritably. He wished he could let go so easily. Tooru said whatever came to mind, and seemed to only strive because that's what she felt was right.   
  
He felt the old tension creeping into him. In the Souma clan he had to be perfect, controlled, the best. It was expected of the one born under the curse of the mouse. The mouse excelled, the mouse was special. The mouse did everything right, and always had to be quick and clever. The mouse was sitting all alone in a dark, drafty room. He smiled internally, and he felt his mask slipping back into place. The mouse was composed and serene. In school he was the prince, he was charming, he was helpful. The prince was aloof and alone doling out his favors sparingly as if they were a great gift. The prince was expected to observe from a distance, to be mysterious, not to be included. The prince was feeling very, very alone. His chest constricted, and he felt as if he was being pummeled by everyone's expectations. Everyone raised him up so high, and he was so afraid of falling. Even Kyou expected so much of him. Just because he was the mouse he was the cat's rival. He had to be better, had to win every battle. Kyou was free to do whatever he wanted, and the baka neko only wanted to beat him, to become one of the Souma family. He longed to trade places, to be free of everyone's expectations. To be free as Kyou was free. Instead the idiot ran around in circles trying to fit himself into the cage that everyone with sense wanted to be free of. It pissed him off, and he felt the old rage burn in him. Kyou was so uncontrolled, so open. He held nothing back. He and Tooru were a good match.  
  
He gasped at the image of the two of them together, his insides twisting. He'd be left alone by both of them, just as he was now. He felt the core of himself freeze where it had been melting before. Just two days ago it had been practically fluid as he woke in that luscious flowing warmth. He concentrated on breathing, in and out, through a throat made tight not from any fever, from any defect. Just the memory of that morning loosened something in him. Unbidden came other memories, Tooru leaning close in worry, her blushing at receiving a simple gift of ribbons. He was being foolish. Kyou wouldn't leave him alone till he'd beaten him. Tooru...he opened his eyes and looked again at her mother's grinning face.   
  
"Mother taught me to be a person who believes, and so I will believe instead of doubt."  
  
"No one is born kind."  
  
Tooru didn't expect anything from him, from anyone. She took each act of kindness as a wonderful surprise and gift. He wanted to surprise her again and again. They way she surprised him, over and over. The fact that she was here, with them was reason enough to believe. He remembered again the scene he and Kyou had walked in on in her grandfather's house.   
  
"I've received so much." She worked so hard, and never expected anything.  
  
"I have only reasons to be grateful." Her parents both dead, no home of her own, and hardly and possessions, she only thought of the pittance that she had received from the world and found it rich. He had riches and saw nothing but things to grasp, things to envy. He was so stupid.  
  
"I want to go back... I wanted to find out more about Souma-kun and Kyou-kun...more and more...I wanted to stay..." He could give her that, that little thing she asked for. He could strive and try to believe. He was sure he could do it, wasn't he the mouse after all? Didn't the prince exist to serve the princess? His eyes drifted shut, and he felt his limbs go liquid, and loose. If people like her really existed...anything was possible. He slept at last and somewhere inside, a tiny door opened on a chamber long left shut. 


	5. Wind

"Yuki-kun?"   
  
His eyes opened again, and saw Tooru holding out something to his lips. He was lying flat again, and he didn't remember getting that way. He had something smelly rubbed into his chest that made him want to take deep breaths. Something medicinal in the smell seemed to keep him from coughing. "Yuki-kun, please drink this." Still half-asleep, he took the draught from her and drained it. It tasted nasty, and he gagged a little. Tooru hurried to give him a sip of water, then he lay back again trying to wake up. Something felt wrong in the attitude in the room. Kyou sat tense at the table. Honda was silent at the hearth.  
  
"Honda-san?" he longed to have something hot. "Is there any tea?" He felt chilled and the fire looked as if it had just recently been built up. He moved to sit up.  
  
Honda grabbed the teapot. "Aha...! I'll make some! Please don't get up! I'll get some water!" Tooru ran out of the room.  
  
Yuki turned on his side to watch her leave, and caught Kyou looking after her with worry. "Something happened, didn't it? Were you seen?"  
  
Kyou glared at him and banged the table, "OF course not! I'm not an idiot!" He looked down and clenched his fist again, looking like he wanted to pummel something. "There was a girl, in the market..." he opened and closed his fist, frustration evident. "She was showing off her school uniform."  
  
Nothing more needed to be said. Yuki knew as well as Kyou how that would make her feel. The boys looked at each other, knowing that they were responsible, but at a loss as to how to fix the situation.   
  
That night Yuki offered to move his pallet away from the others so they wouldn't catch his fever. Kyou's ears perked in surprise, but it Tooru who pointed out that he needed the additional heat more than any of them. The boys lay rigid staring at opposite walls. Tension had been building throughout the evening. Tooru pretended like there was nothing wrong, but both boys could tell otherwise. Afraid to make things worse, the best they could do was try not to bicker with each other. Honda started to tell Yuki of their trip into town. But when she mentioned meeting Kin, and the story of the boys at the pharmacy came out, Yuki snapped at Kyou asking where he'd been. Kyou started to snap back but glanced at Honda and bit it back. Any other conversation suffered the same fate, with both of them realizing they didn't know how to talk to each other with out fighting. As he stared at the wall opposite, Kyou wondered what Tooru was thinking. He knew she was in pain, but he never knew what was going on in her head. Yuki fixed his attention on the grooves of the boards that made up the shack and tried to think of some solution. He'd told Tooru that they were coming up here to think of something, but he'd hardly put any thought to it. He'd failed her and now she was hurting. Tooru finally slipped off to sleep and the boys soon followed.   
  
The next morning Yuki awoke to find that she'd turned on her side to face him. He was surprised to see that she still asleep. Kyou was gone from his pallet, a look to the hearth told him he'd probably gone out for more wood. He took a moment to study her, and didn't like what he saw. There were faint streaks of dirt about her face and jaw, and dark smudges under her eyes. She looked thinner as well. Tooru was trying hard, but living in a shack on a mountain wasn't easy and it was beginning to tell on her. She was so susceptible to fevers; he worried what might happen if she fell ill.   
  
Her eyes fluttered open, and she gazed at him as she struggled to fully wake.   
He smiled and felt his tender heart swell, "Good Morning, Honda-san."  
  
* * *  
  
"Honda-san." Tooru looked up from the breakfast she was making to Yuki, sitting at the table. Kyou looked inside from where he'd been doing his daily workout. They'd all been more or less silent since they'd awoken. "Honda-san, is there anywhere you'd like to go?"  
"Go?" Tooru blinked.  
  
Yuki smiled gently, and tried to ignore Kyou's stare boring into his back. "Yes..." he took a sip of his tea, "I was wondering...if there was any place you ever wished you could go to, if you could go anywhere."  
  
Tooru smiled, "I've been to so many places I never thought I'd get to go to. I've been to a lake, a hot spring, and now a mountain side!" She went back to stirring. "I can't think of any place else I'd like to go."  
  
"Ahh..." Yuki glanced at Kyou, neck tense from trying to pick out just the right words, from trying to find just the right way to say this without hurting Tooru's already fragile feelings. Having the baka neko stare at him like he was trying to pull something wasn't helping. He sighed, and plowed on. "I meant more as if there was a place you've ever dreamed of living, if you could live anywhere."  
  
"Live?" Tooru looked into her pot and stirred a moment, considering. "I'm where I want to be, with Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun." She beamed and began to serve breakfast.  
  
Yuki looked up as she placed a bowl in front of him, and felt his breath catch in his throat. She smiled joyfully as she laid out breakfast, a soft fall of hair almost sliding off her shoulder. She wore the yellow ribbons he'd given her and one end fluttered a bit in the breeze from outside. Did they really make her so happy, just being with her? Could it really be that simple? He ate a bite of his breakfast and looked up to see Kyou glaring at him, and sighed. No, of course it could never be that simple, as long as the baka neko was involved.  
  
After breakfast, Tooru went to the river to wash out the morning dishes. Kyou hung back watching Yuki. Yuki tried to be calm as he tidied a bit around the shack before going out to scrounge for food. The task had become easier as spring had really started to take hold of mountain. When Tooru had finally fallen out of sight he straightened and met Kyou's demanding glower.   
  
Kyou met the challenge instantly. "What was that all about? What did you think you were doing?"  
  
"Haven't you realized it yet, baka neko?" Yuki said carelessly, crossing and arm over his chest and slouching into an artfully casual pose. "We can't stay here forever. Soon the spring rains will come, and you said yourself the roof leaks."  
  
Kyou drew back and flushed glancing over his shoulder to where Tooru had gone. Yuki continued, drawing his attention back, "Can you really expect her to continue living like this? What right do we have to ask that of her? We've got the money we withdrew from our bank accounts but that won't last us forever. We have to remember why we came here, to think of some solution."  
  
"Solution? What solution!" Kyou exploded, "We can't go back, because if we do Hatori will-" he stopped and swore, he glared up at Yuki, "and if we go anywhere else...you know they'll find us. Do you really think they'll ever stop looking for us? That we could just set up house somewhere and be left alone?" He grabbed a hold of Yuki's collar and glared at him. "It doesn't work that way and you know it."  
  
"So we just-" Yuki broke off and looked over the cat's shoulder. Kyou looked back automatically and saw Tooru looking at them in consternation, forgotten dishes dangling from her hands. Stepping back he looked at Yuki out of the corner of his eye, then down at his feet.  
  
"We can't go back?" She looked back and forth between the two. "Not ever?"  
  
Kyou reddened but couldn't meet her eyes. He knew that Tooru wasn't one to look forward, but surely she'd realized-  
  
-that they couldn't go back? Yuki took a step forward, and spread his hands in explanation, "If we go back...Honda-san, they won't allow us to be together anymore. Your memories, they'll be erased. Because we disobeyed...Kyou and I..." Yuki broke off, he hadn't really thought past Tooru's memories being erased. Akito...Akito would be *furious* with him for running away. Already pale by nature, Yuki's face lost all color, and he felt the ice advancing through him.   
  
"Yuki would probably be forced to move back to the main house," Kyou picked up, feeling him falter. Tooru turned to look at him, her eyes blankly staring, and he found himself similarly at a loss for words. Tooru's memories would be erased, Yuki would be isolated again at the main compound, which would leave him where? Out in the cold again. Outside again. Alone again. He drew his lip back in soundless grimace, and looked away.   
  
"We'll think of something!" The boys looked up in surprise to see Honda's determined face. Clutching the still damp dishes to her chest, she closed her eyes and spoke quickly and emphatically. "Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun are both very smart, and I know we'll think of something. There are two sides to everything, good and bad! There's got to be a way. I know we'll find it. Mother taught me to believe, and I trust that we'll find a way, to be together." She opened her eyes and smiled tearily at them. "Together with Yuki-kun, and Kyou-kun, that's where I want to be. In a tent, in shack, in a house...together."  
  
Yuki felt warm tendrils floating through is veins, connecting them all again, and found himself smiling back at her. Amazed himself at the reassurance he heard in his voice he said, "I understand."  
  
"We'll find it. A way." Kyou found the determination in himself as he spoke the words aloud. A way...they'd find it, for sure.   
  
  
* * *  
  
Kyou awoke later that night knowing something was wrong. Something was out of place...something was missing. He looked at the wall and tried to place what it was. A chill up his spine caused him to roll over. Tooru wasn't there! She was gone! He moved to throw back the blankets and sit up when something grabbed his hand. He froze and looked over to see Yuki laying on his side staring at him. He had reached over the span where Tooru usually slept to grab him. He started to shake the mouse's disgusting touch off when Yuki held a finger to his lips and motioned with his eyes towards the hearth. Glancing up involuntarily he froze again, Tooru sat by the fire with her mother's picture in her lap. Her shoulders shook, and he knew she was crying.   
  
"Mother," she whispered, and Kyou's heart constricted, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." She sniffled, "Kyou-kun and Yuki-kun, they are both trying so hard. I want to be with them, more and more, I want to talk with them and learn about them. But, Mother..." She wiped her eyes, "My goal was to become a high school student for you, Mother. I'm working hard, Mother; I'm trying to do as you taught me. I know I'm doing the right thing...but...I'm sorry...." Her hair trembled as she continued to shake.   
  
"Tooru..." he whispered, and the girl turned in surprise. From the bed Kyou and Yuki looked up at her, concern and worry evident. She hid her face in her hands and shook her head. She hadn't wanted them to see this. Not even glancing at each other Kyou and Yuki slid from beneath the blankets and sat on either side of her. "Tooru..." Kyou said softly again, and rested his hand heavily on her head. She seemed to shrink, burying her face deeper into her hands.   
  
"Honda-san," Yuki murmured, drawing her hair back away from her face and letting it run through his fingers. "Sshhh..." He continued to comb out her hair with his fingers as she cried the way a girl cries when she realizes that a dream is gone. She rubbed at her eyes with one hand, while her other dropped to splay loosely against the photo in her lap.  
  
Kyou let his arm drop so that his hand rested on the crown of her head and the rest of his arm lay boneless and loose around her head and neck. Automatically she leaned her head towards him, lifting her chin. He lay his cheek down across her head, and closed his eyes, "You..." he sighed into her hair, lips tickling the back of her ear. "you don't always have to be strong."  
  
Yuki lifted the hand in her lap as his other hand tangled in the hair by her waist. He rested his weight on an arm crossing over her legs, his shoulder leaning into hers. He kissed her wrist gently, and the hollow of her elbow before looking into her wide damp eyes. He laid his cheek against hers and breathed into her other ear, "Honda-san can do things slowly and in her own way." He curled her hand around his and held it to his chest.   
  
Tooru sat between them, the warmth of their bodies seeping into her chilled form. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the pressure of the boys leaning into her. The boys felt a whoosh of tension blow out of Tooru as she released a breath she hadn't even realized she'd been holding. The three felt themselves go fluid and slack as the pressure flowed out of them. Feeling himself falling asleep, Yuki leaned back and looked into her face. Her eyes fluttered open then closed again, he looked up to meet Kyou's sleepy slitted look over the top of her head. Feeling languid and indolent, Kyou lifted his head and kissed the back of Tooru's ear. "Lets go back to bed..." She sighed a drowsy agreement and the three slid into their places in bed. With the creeping warmth flowing in and about them, the boys lay facing her, relaxed and unassuming. Tooru lay on her stomach, her hands flat against the pillow. With hardly a conscious thought the two boys each took a hand and drew it close as the three slid into sleep the heat streaming through them, making their hearts thrum to the same sleeping beat. 


	6. Weather Conditions

The next few days passed slowly, with the three keeping themselves occupied preparing for the spring rains, repairing the shack and stocking up on food. A comfortable working silence enveloped them. When they spoke at all it was about surface, careless things. Kyou explained what he had left to do on the shack to make it rain-worthy, Tooru showed the boys how to wash clothes in the small stream by the house, and Yuki described where he and his mice colonies found their food. They tried to maintain the comfortable mood they had gotten from that night, that warm and languid feeling. They accomplished it mostly by the boys talking through Tooru, instead of to each other. The future was not discussed, but it hung heavy on the horizon, like the spring rains they all were dreading.   
  
The next morning their luck snapped along with the weather and the first of the spring rains began to fall. The day dawned cold and damp, and the three had moved closer together unconsciously in the night. Tooru woke when she felt a warm breath on her face; her eyes fluttered open then flew wide. Yuki's nose was just a scant millimeter away. Jerking back in surprise she rolled into a surprised Kyou who was close up against her back.  
  
"Uwah!" Tooru felt Kyou's solidity give way as he transformed in a puff of orange smoke. Scrambling to get off of him before she crushed him, she tripped over Yuki who had barely woken up when as he felt Tooru fall into him. Rolling over, Tooru lay on her back and covered her face in her hands. "I'm sorry! Sorry! I'm so sorry!"  
  
Yuki rubbed his mouse eyes and tried to adjust to both being abruptly awoken and changing into a mouse at the same time. He was never at his best in the morning. "Honda-san." He was pretty sure she couldn't hear him over her apologies. He walked over to her and stepping carefully through her hair, laid a mouse-y paw on her shoulder. "Honda-san, its ok."  
  
"Sorry! I'm sorry! Sorry!" She rolled over on her stomach and pressed her face into her pillow. Her voice sounded desperate and her shoulders started to shake. Kyou roused himself to step closer to her, he glanced at Yuki, who still stood next to her shoulder. Was she crying again?  
  
"Cha-" Kyou tsked, "It's not the best way to get woken up in the morning, but its no big deal."  
  
Yuki laid his paw on her shoulder again, "Honda-san?"  
  
Tooru looked lifted her face from her pillow, and sat up, hiding her face in her hands. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" she continued, the two stepped in front of her to be able to better look at her. Glances shot back and forth between them, they didn't know if they could handle tears this early in the morning. Somehow it seemed easier to be honest and comforting in the dark, and much more awkward with the morning sun (what little there was of it) streaming through the open doorway. Tooru was beet red, and her shoulders continued to shake. Kyou sat down in front of her unsure what to say next or what to do. Yuki stepped forward again resting his paws on her knee as he peered upward.   
  
"Honda-san?"  
  
Tooru slowly lowered her hands "I'm sorry," she said again and *giggled*. She wasn't crying, she was laughing!  
  
Kyou's ears went back and his eyes bugged, "What's so funny!" Here they where, worried that she was crying again and she was laughing at them the whole time. "Is this some kind of joke to you?" His words came out louder and fiercer then he intended, but he didn't care. He turned away from her in disgust. His whole body was one big dull pain, and it felt as if the rain outside was striking him instead of the roof above. He felt bruised, achy and tired, and here she was *laughing*. He drew breath to say more, but made the mistake of glancing at her first. She had gone from blushing to dead white, and she held her hands together over her chest. She wasn't laughing anymore. His breath flew out in a disgusted puff with the last of his energy. Sighing he curled back up under the blanket, his ears twitching against the pillow. He closed his eyes, and wished the image of her shocked, hurt face would go away.  
  
The sheets rustled as he felt her scoot closer. He flinched when he felt her hand rest on his head between his ears, but didn't open his eyes. "I'm sorry." The hand was a gentle weight, and the fingers absently moved through the fur. "I shouldn't have laughed. I was surprised, and Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun's surprised faces weren't something I was used to seeing. But I shouldn't have laughed, I'm sorry." He shivered a bit, this kind of touching...it wasn't something he was used to. Tooru misinterpreted the movement, and brought the sheet up and tucked it around him. "Rainy days are hard on Kyou-kun." She smoothed the fur between his ears again. Kyou changed back between one breath and another, a cloud of smoke swelling around him. He expected Tooru's hand to lift, and when it didn't finally opened his eyes to look up at her. She was blushing, but had a gentle look on her face, "Kyou-kun shouldn't force himself today." She sat up straighter, her hands now both in her lap, she bowed a little bit, "Please take it easy today."  
  
Kyou made what could best be described as an affirmative noise, and slid a bit further under the sheets to hide his embarrassment and his somewhat pleased blush. A second "pyon!" noise as Yuki changed back drew his attention. Kyou looked over Tooru's shoulder in surprise. Yuki quickly slipped into clothes, keeping his head down, his hair shielding his expressive eyes. Kyou closed his eyes, eyebrows twitching in thought. He felt a swirl of confused emotions as he realized the mouse had been present and listening the whole time. Embarrassment that Tooru's tender exchange had been overheard. Anger that he'd forgotten the damn mouse was there at all. He felt more naked than if the sheet had been pulled off of him; surely his face had showed more than he'd wanted it too. And deep under it all, twinges of worry and guilt, that Yuki had felt hurt and left out. The anger flared up again. It wasn't fair, why should he feel bad because of that damn mouse? He hadn't done anything wrong! And what did he care what the kuso nezumi thought or felt? It wasn't any concern of his! His thoughts ran around in circles but the anger seemed to trickle out of him, with the drip, drip, drip of that dratted, dreaded rain pouring down from the heavens. The feelings of guilt and worry remained leaving his scattered thoughts to push them around like a tongue testing a loose and aching tooth. His feelings continued to churn as he allowed himself to drift off back to sleep.  
  
Tooru carefully edged around the sleeping boy, and kept her back carefully turned away from Yuki as she felt him dressing behind her. Yuki finished buttoning up, a curious coolness falling over him with each button closure. He felt...strange was the only way to describe it. He felt like he'd been peeping, or that he'd been intruding. But at the same time...he sighed. The scene had felt so natural, seeing Tooru comfort Kyou. And it wasn't till he'd changed back that he'd felt that his presence was wrong. He closed his eyes and ran his hand through his hair. But why shouldn't he have been there? It wasn't his fault that the baka neko didn't like rainy days. It wasn't his fault that Tooru felt she had to pity the cat. A little voice threaded through his mind chilling him, and bringing all his fears out to scurry around. But she hadn't looked pitying, had she? She'd looked like she cared, concerned, like she worried about *him* especially. Had she ever looked at him that way? He felt a miasma roiling below the coolness he used to shield himself. He could feel his ice mask slipping into place, a darkness falling over him. He checked all the windows and doors to his soul, making sure nothing of the agitated mess of his feelings could be detected.  
  
"Yuki-kun?" Tooru's voice was soft, and careless. Yuki looked up to see her sitting a bit back from the doorway, in the little sun that penetrated the clouds. "What should I make for breakfast? There is a little of the fish left that Kyou caught yesterday or the last of the eggs from town. We have to use those before they go bad. I could make an omelet with some of those mushrooms you found."  
  
While she spoke she brushed out her hair, ribbons at the ready. Yuki watched as the brush whisked through her hair. She tied up her hair in the yellow ribbons he'd given her. It took his breath away; there was just something so intimate about the simple process. It was so unguarded. He felt himself begin to thaw.  
  
"Yuki-kun?" He blinked, realizing that she was looking at him, brush forgotten in her hand. She smiled innocently, "Or do you think that we ought wait till Kyou-kun wakes up again?"  
  
The words dropped down into the abyss in his stomach, and swirled there with the rest of his emotions. He was jealous he realized. Why was he getting jealous of that stupid cat? It was a reasonable question. It wasn't as if she was favoring him. Tooru was still looking at him, her expression beginning to fall. He forced himself to smile, "I think Kyou will sleep for a while yet. Why don't we use the eggs, before they go bad."  
  
"Ok." Tooru didn't sound sure as she walked over to the hearth and began breakfast. Yuki-kun's smile bothered her in a way she couldn't pin down.  
  
* * *  
  
By dinnertime, Tooru felt as if she'd been walking across thick carpet all day long. A prickly electric feeling enveloped the room. The shack had proved remarkably rain worthy, but there were still spots they'd been forced to put the few cups, bowls and pans under to catch the drip and keep the rest of the place dry. Earlier the wind had changed and forced them to move their makeshift table back from the exposed door. When the wind had picked up blowing the wind in further and threatening to get everything soaked, they'd been forced to give up one of their few blankets to make a quickly sodden shield. Trapped all day in the little shack, with an uncomfortable feeling lingering since morning, they had all felt the pressure rise. Tooru sat between the two boys serving dinner. She absently patted her hair, surprised that it wasn't flying up with static electricity. Pointed, hurtful barbs had been tossed back and forth between Kyou and Yuki on and off through out the day. Yuki pointed out the shacks' faults, the leaks, and the cracks that let in the wind, the lack of foresight that led to them having no door. Kyou pointed out that Yuki hadn't pointed out any of those faults before when something could be done about them. Or had thought to do anything about the problems himself. Tooru had tried to diffuse the awkward feeling all day, but anything she said just seemed to make things worse. She closed her eyes and thought again that she was no good at this kind of thing. She wasn't even sure what this kind of thing was.   
  
"Mother," she thought, "I don't understand what's going on." Something had happened to make everything so strange and uncomfortable. It was probably because she had started the day off so poorly this morning she reflected. Yuki-kun was such a dignified person; he'd probably been very upset. Kyou-kun was so troubled by wet weather, it must have been a very bad way to start his day. She fretted and worried and added her own bit of static to the atmosphere. Dinner ended with not much of anything getting eaten. The shack was darker than it had been a long time. The rain clouds let in little light, and the small lantern they'd been using seemed to be struggling with the gloom from both within as well as without.  
  
For the first time in a long while, going to bed was awkward. Yuki and Kyou stood around self-consciously. Neither wanted to make the first move yet didn't want the other to either. Tooru moved first, laying stiffly on her back, hands clasped over the top of the blankets on her chest. Kyou and Yuki reflexively glanced at each other and finding the others eyes upon them immediately looked away. It served as the cue that got both of them moving and into bed. Since the night when they'd found her by the hearth, they'd both lain facing her as they drifted off to sleep. This night they again put their backs to her once more. As the three lay wide awake in the dark they listened to the pattering rain lulled by its uneven rhythm. Tooru closed her eyes and tried to sleep, for once feeling hemmed in by the boys at her side.  
  
"Mother," she called up her mothers face in her minds eye, "I feel as if something terrible is coming." She bit her lip, "Kyou-kun and Yuki-kun. I must have offended them terribly. I don't know how to fix it." She sighed and without being aware of it drifted into a dream.  
  
"Tooru."  
  
Tooru lifted her head from her mother's knee. She felt tears on her face, and wondered why she'd been crying. She looked up at her mother, and then further up. Her mother was much bigger than she remembered. She looked down at herself. No, she was much smaller. She was a child again, in her old school pinafore.  
  
"Tooru." Her mother ran her fingers through the little girls hair, "Tooru is having a hard time."  
  
"Mother!" She buried her face back in her mother's lap. She tried to speak but couldn't find the words. She just shook her head under her mother's hand.  
  
"My daughter is such a strong person." Tooru's mother smiled as she smoothed back her daughter's hair. Tooru looked back up at her mother, "Sometimes its hard to see the light shining in another's heart. Doubts, fears and jealousies make a dark cloud that hides the light. But no cloud is forever. They all blow away eventually." She lay a gentle hand against her daughter's cheek. "Keep your light shining and seek out the light in others." Tooru found herself eye to eye with her mother, suddenly a teenager again. "Tooru-chan...is like a lighthouse, her light is so bright."  
  
"Mother..." the girl whispered, and ducked her head. She wasn't anything so special.  
  
* * *  
  
"Mother..."  
  
Kyou stiffened, the word had been soft as a sigh, if the shack hadn't been nearly silent outside of the rain he wouldn't have heard it at all. Quietly rolling over, he turned to look at Tooru. Seeing that she slept he understood that she was dreaming. Her face had a funny scrunched up look on her face. He wondered what she could be dreaming that made her look so sad. He knew today couldn't have been too comfortable, the rain had made him short tempered and irritable. And that damn mouse...it seemed like he'd been deliberately provoking all day long. As if the thought of him drew his eyes, he looked up to see Yuki staring at him from across the bed. He felt the hackles rise on the back of his neck. What was that guy's problem?  
  
Yuki stared at Kyou. He felt out of sorts and unsettled. The look on Kyou's face when he'd looked at Tooru...It disturbed him. He wasn't used to seeing that kind of expression on the baka neko's face. He wasn't used to the way he was feeling either. He didn't like it, any of it. His eyes flicked to Tooru, her lips parted and she gave a long sigh. This day had felt as if it would never end. Just watching Kyou follow Tooru around with his eyes all day...he frowned and his eyes narrowed locked back with Kyou's. And she hadn't seemed to mind. It made him want to lash out, to have the satisfaction of knocking Kyou through a wall again. The only thing that had stopped him was that he knew Tooru would just feel worse for the stupid cat. It was a rainy day, and he knew as well as she how sapped Kyou felt on these kinds of days. A whispering little voice pointed out he'd felt worry for the stupid cat himself. Another thing he wasn't used to. He'd never had to be in such close quarters with the cat in this kind of weather. He watched Kyou struggle throughout the day, just moving himself around the shack seemed to take so much effort. He knew himself what it felt like to be weak, and helpless. He couldn't attack him while he was feeling that way, even if it was the baka neko. So instead he'd behaved dreadfully making the mood and feeling worse. But how else could he show her...how much better he was...Disgusted at the path of his own thoughts, Yuki broke eye contact with Kyou and flipped back over to his other side. What did he care if the baka neko was struggling? He shut his eyes and resolutely decided to sleep.  
  
Kyou blinked in surprise as the mouse suddenly turned away. His face had looked...icy, cold and remote. Yuki never was one to let what he was feeling show on his face. But Kyou couldn't help but remember Yuki's averted face that morning. He frowned and turned back on his side. Why did he let that image keep pop up? Why did it bother him so much? That damn mouse, stupid Yuki. Even in the quiet of his own mind he gave him no peace. Yuki'd been superior all day, and now he glared at him like he was a pervert. Damn Prince. He'd caught Tooru glancing at Yuki all day. Kyou knew she worried Yuki hadn't been acting himself. It was if the mouse had thrown up a wall between himself and the others. Invisible and untouchable it nonetheless kept anyone from coming near. It was like the "don't touch me" aura he gave off at school. It wasn't something that had shown itself for a while now. It made him sick the way Tooru fretted over him, and he didn't even give her the courtesy of noticing. Kyou frowned at the floorboards. Why did he keep thinking about that damn Yuki? He closed his eyes and doggedly chased after sleep. 


	7. Overcast Skies

Tooru felt as if her bones where lined with lead. She felt like she gained a 100 pounds while she slept. It took a supreme effort to raise her head off the pillow and force her weighted eyelids to open. For once she was the last one to wake. Yuki sat in the back of the shack at the table staring into a cup of untouched tea before him. Someone had pulled back the dripping blanket over the door, and weak sunlight fell through it. Kyou stood out side, going through his morning work out. Both boys seemed to be resolutely ignoring the others presence. The same heavy feeling hung heavy over the shack. Tooru felt like she was drowning in it, being dragged down by its cumbersome weight. Maneuvering herself up onto her elbow, Tooru resolutely wiped the sleep out of her eyes.  
  
"I'm sorry, I overslept. I'll get up right away and make breakfast."  
  
"Ah, Honda-san," Yuki turned and gave her a smile, "Its okay for you to sleep in. I'll make breakfast." He stood and picked up a couple of the rain catchers they'd laid down the night before. They'd need to be emptied and washed before anything else could be cooked.  
  
"Yeah, and then we'll all die..." Kyou muttered punching at the air. If he'd had cat ears they'd have been flat against his skull. He glared at the scenery opposite him, and put a bit more energy into his next punch.  
  
"Did you say something, Baka Neko?" Yuki's voice was frosty as he walked to the doorway. Leaning against it with artificial casualness he sent a challenging glare out at the cat.  
  
All too eager to respond, Kyou turned to face him, fists clenched. "You know as well as I that you can't cook worth spit. You want to make something of it?"   
  
Letting his mouth twitch up into a slight parody of a smile, Yuki stepped forward and with a quick flick of his wrist cast the cold water from the containers in his hands over Kyou. "It's too early to be so hot headed. Why don't you cool down?" He closed his eyes and made to walk past the cat towards the stream. Kyou stood for a second in amazement, icy water dripping down him. He wiped a hand over his face and looked at the wetness on his hands in astonishment. He couldn't believe that the damn mouse had just done that!  
  
His face contorted with rage and he leaned forward to grab Yuki's shoulder, "KUSO NEZUMI!" He spun Yuki to face him, and knew as he threw his punch that today, finally, he'd get him right in the face, right between the eyes, a nice satisfying crunch. Instead Yuki used his momentum against him stepping just enough for the side for the punch to whiz by. Again. But something didn't go according to his plan. The ground was soft and mushy from the rain the day before, and the foot the mouse had rested most of his weight upon suddenly found itself in squishy muddy patch. His feet slid out from under him and fell heavily on his side, banging into Kyou's legs as he went.   
  
Kyou felt his legs cut out from beneath him and he too tumbled to the ground on top of Yuki. Both slimy with mud, the cat was the first to recover. Realizing the mouse was trapped below him he brought his fist up and pounded it down. It connected with a solid thump against Yuki's face, though not as hard as Kyou would have liked due to lack of leverage. Yuki pushed up against Kyou knocking him back and not even bothering to get up he threw a punch of his own. It knocked Kyou's head back, but he quickly snapped it around to glare at Yuki. Yuki glared back, deliberately not getting up, baiting Kyou to attack. He obliged lunging at the mouse even faster than he had expected him to. They grappled viciously in the mud. This was different from their other fights. Before they had been full of grace and almost methodical, controlled. This was a *brawl*. This wasn't a fight to see who could win, to see who was better, this was a fight to inflict as much damage as possible on the other person. They didn't bother with the usual slings and gibes; the fight was terrifyingly silent. The air was filled with thick meaty thuds, and gasps of breath. Tooru had run to the doorway as the fight began, shocked and befuddled. Kyou-kun and Yuki-kun were hurting each other, really hurting each other! She couldn't bear to watch it.  
  
She ran out of the shack, and hesitantly moved towards them. This was scary. She couldn't help but wince as she heard another punishing smack against some bit of tender flesh. She opened eyes she hadn't realized she'd squeezed shut. "Ano..." Her voice quavered, "Yuki...kun...Kyou...kun," The boys didn't seem to be aware of her at all. She reached a trembling hand towards them, but held it back. They were both coated with mud churned up from below them. It seemed to transform them into dark frantic strangers squirming and struggling. She had to stop this. "Ano..." she stepped forward.  
  
Kyou reared back, fist poised to ram down on Yuki's slight form below him. Tooru barely managed to avoid an elbow to the face, she didn't manage to escape Yuki's foot as it lashed out from beneath Kyou looking for leverage to throw the boy off. With a surprised shriek she felt her feet slid out behind her. Landing face down with a hard "smack!" in the mud, she lay unmoving.   
  
Yuki and Kyou looked at her in shock. Completely forgetting their fight, they scrambled through the slippery mud towards her. Each grasped one of her arms and helped her to sit up. They helped to support her as she coughed, and spat out bits of mud and grass. Apparently her mouth had been wide open when she fell. Pulling her hands away and bracing them against the ground she took a deep breath and coughed again. She made an awful face and spit tried to spit the last few stubborn pieces of grass out of her mouth, making little "Pthspt" noises. She heard Kyou make a sputtering coughing noise, and forced her mud-caked eyes open. She looked at wonder at the boys before her. Even under the mud they were a mess, their clothes were torn, and their hair stuck out at all angles. Both boys sported bruises, scratches, swellings and goose eggs. Kyou had a terrific start to a black eye, and Yuki's nose was bleeding. But that wasn't the amazing thing. Kyou looked like he was holding his breath and was about to pass out from lack of oxygen. Yuki couldn't seem to meet her eyes, looking past her shoulder with a glazed look. He held a curled finger over his mouth, seemingly to keep his lips shut.  
  
Tooru suddenly realized what she must look like. Her front looked as if someone had taken a giant paint roller and coated her with muck. Her hair was sloppy with loose, dripping mud and bits of grass. Even her eyelashes were caked with it. She felt a bit of mud and grass fall from the tip of her nose.   
  
She slapped her hands down in front of her in the mire with sticky "splorps". Touching her forehead to the ground in a formal bow, she blurted. "I'm sorry!" Not waiting on an answer or seeming to care that her hair splayed out in the gooey muck, she kept her head down let out a rush of words. "I'm sorry I was so careless yesterday morning! I'm sorry I laughed! I'm sorry I made Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun uncomfortable! Please laugh at me now in compensation!" She seemed to press herself lower, "Please! I want Kyou-kun and Yuki-kun to feel comfortable again! I'm sorry I'm such an idiot and keep making a mess of things-"  
  
"Honda-san," Yuki's voice had a laughing lilt to it. "Honda-san please get up." He leaned back on one arm and started to run his hand through his hair but stopped when it got stuck in the mud there. "Honda-san did nothing wrong, you don't make us uncomfortable."  
  
Tooru lifted her head out of the mud with a loud sucking noise and looked up at the boys, "Really?" There was a thick clump of mud now securely fastened to her forehead, looking like a little horn.  
  
Yuki choked, and sputtered and then finally gave in and let out a laugh. "Yes, really." He sat back in the mud, legs splayed out and hands between his knees and smiled. It was the first honest and true smile Tooru had seen in days. She couldn't help but respond and smiled happily back at him.  
  
"You..." Tooru turned to look at Kyou. He too had made himself comfortable, his legs folded loosely in front of him, he rested his weight on a hand behind him. He wiped down his face with one hand and flicked bits of mud off of his face. He flashed a surprisingly white smile out of his dirty streaked face, "You...I don't understand how you think at all."  
  
Tooru cocked her head to the side, and touched her cheek with a thoughtful finger, "Am I really so strange?" Her little mud horn started to tilt and slide down the side of her face.  
  
  
* * *  
  
Once the humor had worn off they were left with the problem on how to deal with the mess they'd made. The boy's clothes had mud practically ground into it. Yuki's shirt was deemed as unsalvageable. The big rents that had been torn in it during the fight were too difficult and large to bother repairing. Besides getting the clothes clean there was the problem of getting themselves clean. Before now they'd been washing up in the icy stream, doing as much as they could without being able to take a full bath. Nothing would do but to fully douse themselves and scrub to get the sticky mud off. The three looked at the stream in dread. Tooru shivered. It originated somewhere further up the mountain, and it was *cold*!   
  
Yuki saw her shiver and instantly knew what she was thinking. "Perhaps we could boil some water..." he suggested. It would be a lot of hard work to get enough water from the stream to the shack though, and they didn't have anything big enough to bathe in anyway.   
  
Kyou coughed, blushed furiously and said, "well, there is a place..." then trailed off.   
  
"A place?" Yuki asked, trying not to itch one of the long scratches on his arm. He couldn't recall when he'd ever gotten this beat up while fighting with the baka neko. He'd certainly never gotten this dirty.  
  
"A hot springs, a little up the mountains..." Kyou blushed some more, and spoke to Yuki, "Its kind of...small." He carefully avoided looking at Tooru, picking at a piece of mud his leg.  
  
"Oh, small." Yuki thought wistfully of a nice hot bath. But small meant, he glanced at Tooru. Small meant too close.   
  
Tooru clapped her hands and smiled. "I'll got get some towels, and some clean clothes. I wish I had some plastic bags, then I could take Mother to a hot spring again." She scampered off leaving two bemused boys behind. They looked at each other, then away, unwilling to share a common feeling even if it was embarrassment.   
  
"How small is small?" Yuki asked Kyou as they resignedly, and with no little trepidation, started up to the hot springs.  
  
Kyou looked back at Tooru who was studying each step she took carefully while trying to keep up with the boys at the same time. As a result she kept lagging further and further behind. "There are two springs really, but they're in plain sight of each other." Yuki and Kyou were leaving a trail of flaking mud behind them. Awkward or no they were both looking forward to getting the itchy grime off of them. Kyou scratched his ear, and looked sideways at Yuki. "That person..." he checked to make sure Tooru wasn't too far behind them and paused at tree to let her catch up a bit. "...just doesn't think things through."  
  
"If she did, she wouldn't be here." Yuki said and dropped back to help Tooru who had gotten her foot caught between a couple of roots.  
  
They came up to the springs hidden deep in the in the forest on the mountain. It was barely midday, but it was dark with the sun shining weakly through the trees thick with new leaves. There were two springs, a small one above that flowed in a tiny waterfall into a small pool just below. Steam rose from the spring making the air sparkle and waver.   
  
"Uwaaah!" Tooru stood between the boys smiling happily at the springs. "We can wash up in the bottom spring then soak in the top spring without getting the water dirty!" She smiled up at the boys looking back and forth between them. "If we leave our muddy clothes soaking under the waterfall they'll be easier to wash later on."  
  
Yuki smiled down at her, "Honda-san can go first." He absently picked at some mud in his hair. "We'll wait until your done."  
  
"But-" Tooru started.  
  
"Don't worry. We won't peep. We're not like Shigure." Kyou blushed and looked away. He cursed the heat rushing to his face. He may say he wasn't like that perverted dog, but his own face was betraying him.  
  
"Ok." Tooru shone at the boys, "I'll wash up first, then go up to the top. When Kyou-kun and Yuki-kun finished washing up..." she paused and blushed, "you can come to the top to soak too. I'll leave the towels here." She laid the towels a little back from the spring, near a rock that was an easy step up to the second spring. She looked at the two boys expectantly. They looked back at her with glowing faces. She'd brought enough towels that they'd be able to wear the towels into the spring. But they'd still be practically...*naked*. They looked at each other for a long moment.  
  
"Umn.." Tooru flushed and looked down, fiddling with a button on her soiled sleepwear. "I'm going in now."  
  
"Ah, of course, Honda-san." Yuki smiled and grabbed Kyou's arm. "We'll wait over here." Kyou quickly shook off his arm but followed Yuki to a rock under a clump of trees. They steadfastly stared at the trees as they heard a rustle of clothes. Kyou felt like his skin was stretched tight over his frame. He was sure that if someone tried they could bounce a coin off of him. Yuki shivered as he heard a small, pleased noise that indicated Tooru had entered the heated waters. He shivered again as he listened to her splash in the small spring. He felt like he was over-heating but he couldn't stop the tremors the little sounds made. Both boys felt like their stomachs were filled with a kettle full of moths.  
  
"Ah!"   
  
Kyou started to turn at the slight cry of pain. Yuki's hand lashed out and grabbed his shoulder. "DON'T LOOK." Kyou looked at the other boy and stopped. The mouse's face was blank, and he looked like he was going to shatter. Kyou wondered if he looked as strange as him, he certainly felt it. "Are you alright, Honda-san?" Kyou had to give the mouse credit, he only sounded a little strained. Kyou felt like he was going to fly into a million pieces.  
  
"Yes!" Tooru's voice sounded a little pained. "I just stubbed my toe on a rock. Sorry for being so clumsy. I'm almost done!"   
Yuki and Kyou shared another long look, for the moment willing to suffer together.   
  
Kyou made a disgusted noise under his breath, "She can't be serious."  
  
"Honda-san..." Yuki sighed and looked up into the trees, "Honda-san doesn't make jokes."  
  
"Che...I know that." Kyou looked at Yuki, "but we can't really..." he looked back down at his feet, "we just can't."  
  
Yuki caught Kyou's eye and raised a wry eyebrow, "Are you going to tell Honda-san that?" A ridiculous question, like either of them could ever say no to her. But then, that was the point wasn't it?  
  
* * *  
  
Tooru slid carefully into the top pool, and checked to make sure her towel hadn't slipped as she settled in. "Mother," she thought, "I'm afraid." She sighed and ran her fingers through her hair, she wasn't used to it hanging wet as she soaked. Usually she tied it up, but she'd forgotten her ribbons. "I don't want what happened this morning to happen again." She thought again of the boys roiling in the mud. Their fight had been chilling and desperate. She didn't understand what made them want to fight that way. Sometimes it felt like she was learning so much about them and getting so close. And then...then something like today happened. "Mother, I'm so confused."  
  
Keeping her back carefully turned away from the little spring below her she called to the boys. "Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun can come in now."  
  
Yuki and Kyou looked up to make sure that she was truly looking away and then quickly shucked off their muddy clothes. Quickly stepping into the warm water, the dunked and scrubbed themselves to rid themselves finally of the mud. When they at last felt refreshed and squeakily clean the boys glanced at each other and at the towels. Kyou swallowed, it was time to go up *there*. Well, he wasn't going first; he didn't want to seem too eager. Let the Prince look like he was about to pounce. Yuki lifted himself from the water with a sigh, he glanced at Honda's back where she sat plaiting her hair. They couldn't just leave her sitting there. He wrapped a towel around himself and walked up to the little spring. Kyou scrambled to follow.  
  
"Honda-san, we're coming up now."   
  
Tooru started at Yuki's voice and glanced down, half finished braid in her hair. The boys were looking down at the rocks careful not to slip on the slippery stones and clutching their towels to keep them from falling. Tooru blushed and looked back at the water. She didn't know why she should be embarrassed. She'd been able to see more of them in their swim trunks. She self-consciously adjusted her towel. And she'd certainly seen more of them whenever they transformed. Kyou and Yuki quickly slid into the obscuring water. The top spring was smaller than the bottom one, and it was obviously where the hot water was coming up. It burbled and steamed like a little hot tub. All three were carefully not looking at each other as they let the hot water relax their aching bodies. Yuki let out a little gasp as he dropped one of his arms into the water. He lifted it out quickly. That stung!  
  
"Ah! Yuki-kun is bleeding!" Tooru scootched forward to examine his arm. The long scratches that Kyou had given him on his arm were loosening in the hot water and beginning to ooze a little blood. Yuki blushed furiously at her proximity. She looked up at him from the scratches, "Yuki-kun is all red! Is the water too hot? Maybe you should sit on the edge for a minute to cool down."  
  
Yuki smiled weakly, "N-no, no. I'm alright." He made to take back his arm from Tooru's grasp, but she didn't let go.  
  
"Let me wash out your cuts, we don't want them to get infected." She reached over and grabbed one of the left over towels on the bank. Tearing a strip off she wet it and began to clean Yuki's wound.  
  
Well, *she* didn't want it to get infected. Kyou hoped it would swell up and rot off the mouse's whole damn arm. He glowered at his hands. His knuckles were cracked and split. He hadn't even started the fight this time. And his eye hurt, damn it. He glanced up, and stared at the two across from him. Tooru's face looked so gentle as she carefully bathed Yuki's hurts. Kyou slid further into the water, till his nose rested just above the surface. She finished daubing up and down Yuki's arm and moved to a spot on his collarbone that had been abraded. The simple concentration and concern that radiated from her face as she worked made something go funny in Kyou's stomach. He found himself staring at her long fingers as they gently moved from hurt to hurt over Yuki's pale skin. He could almost feel ghost fingers touching him in those same spots his concentration was so high. He glanced at Yuki and felt a shiver go through him. He'd never seen the mouse look so unguarded, ever. Not even when they were children. Yuki was following Tooru with his eyes a gentle smile playing about his lips. His eyes didn't seem to leave her face and she didn't notice his stare in her focus on his injuries.  
  
"There." Tooru sat back and smiled at Yuki. "All done."  
  
"Thank you, Honda-san." Yuki's blush had faded, leaving burning spots on his cheeks. He felt so deliciously warm. He smiled back at her, he thought he must look foolish, but he couldn't keep the grin away.  
  
Tooru looked over her shoulder and beamed at Kyou. "Kyou-kun's turn!"  
  
Kyou sat up straight. "What?!" He backed up a bit as Tooru advanced. "I'm fine!" He put a hand up in a "keep back" gesture.  
  
"Kyou-kun was hurt too." She took his hand in hers, and ran her fingers over his split knuckles. She gently held it just over the water and used her little cloth to clean out the cuts and abrasions. Kyou sucked in his breath as she moved closer to attend to some scratches on his shoulder. "Ah!" She looked up at him, "Did I hurt you?"   
  
"N-no. It's fine." He knew he had to be glowing in the dark his blush was so bright. Tooru bent her head and went back to work. She carefully catalogued and cleaned out every hurt. Kyou couldn't keep his eyes off her. Her skin seemed to shine. Now he knew what kept Yuki's fascination. It was like she was made out of spun gold. It was like she wasn't real. Her face had an inward look of concentration. She didn't seem to be aware of him as a person at all. The things she was doing, the places she was touching, was so intimate. But the casualness was what took his breath away. Is this how it was with other people? Did normal people get to have this all the time? She sat closer and began daubing at the painful bruise around his eye. He closed his eyes and enjoyed her light touch on his face. He tried to remember if he'd ever been touched that way before. He opened his eyes as she pulled away after daubing at a small cut over his bruised eye. He found himself looking straight into her face. His eyes flicked over her face, and finally back to her eyes. "All done?"   
  
Surprised at the frankness of the stare, Tooru flushed and nodded. "Yes, all done."  
  
"Your turn!" Kyou plucked the cloth out of Tooru's hands.   
  
"EH?" Tooru backed up in the water quickly. She felt hands on her shoulders and looked back at Yuki. He peered close at her face.  
  
"I thought so from before." His eyes flicked to Kyou's. "A little scratch, here." His delicate fingers lifted up the bangs above her eyes and pointed out a small red scratch.  
  
"And here." Kyou grabbed a wrist, and showed Yuki a thin scratch going up the arm. "I think she got it from one of the bushes on the way up here."  
  
Tooru stammered and protested, eyes wide, but the boys wouldn't hear anything of it. Kyou set to work with the little cloth, washing out her little scrapes and cuts. "We don't want these to get infected." He threw her words gently in her face.  
  
"Ah, Honda-san, a piece of grass." Yuki plucked a small fragment out of her hair. "Hold still, there's more." He gently un-plaited her hair, and ran his fingers through it, catching bits and pieces of debris that she had missed. Both boys felt as if this was the most natural thing to do. Something had loosened in them as Tooru tended to their wounds, some healing had gone on more than she had intended. Each had felt precious, perhaps for the first time in their lives. Yuki thought back to Kyou's face when Tooru had tended him. He had felt languid and loose, all his muscles slack. He felt half awake like those dreaming times when he wandered around the house still asleep. He felt careless and free. He had watched Honda tend to the cats wounds and had been caught up in light dappling through the trees in her hair. He's glanced up to Kyou and had been caught by something else entirely. Kyou had looked.... amazed, wondering, awed. Awed, that was it exactly. Yuki had felt a sudden strong connection with the cat. When he looked at her, he felt *awed*. Awed that someone like her existed, that someone like her was by his side. That someone like her cared...for him. For us, a little voice in his head. She cares for me, she cares for him, we care for her. It was logical. It made sense. He knew the cat was feeling it too, the warmth, the freedom. He tried to braid her hair back up but fumbled with it. Losing track of which way the hair folded a time or too he finally he managed to finish it off. It was messy, but it was done. He sighed.  
  
"Sorry Honda-san, I'm no good at this kind of thing." Tooru sat with her eyes squeezed shut and her shoulders hunched. She had a scrunched up but pleased look on her face.  
  
Kyou made a tsking sound looking at Yuki out of the corner of his eye, "You need more training." He sat back, and flicked his eyes over Tooru before rolling his eyes towards the trees. "I think I've gotten everything. You've got to be more careful. You're too clumsy," he scolded. "Most of those scratches weren't from today." He tossed the cloth up onto the rocks outside the pool. Somehow they'd all slid close. Kyou's arms rested on the rock ledge behind them, his elbow just behind Tooru's head. Yuki leaned back against the rocks behind him, his hands limp in his lap. All it would take was a little lean to the right and his shoulder would be leaning against hers.   
  
"I was scared." The boys froze, Kyou staring at the trees Yuki looking into the water. Perhaps they'd been too forward? But it had been so comfortable... Her shoulders hunched a little as she slid herself a little further down in the water. "Kyou-kun and Yuki-kun...looked so strange." Kyou lightly touched a bruise spreading across his chest. Yes, today's fight had been different. Yuki lifted his head to look at the branches swaying above them. Honda kept her head down, face red. "When Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun fight...my heart beats fast. But today," Tooru's head ducked down lower, and tears pricked in her eyes, "my heart felt like it stopped." She covered her heart with her hand, "I don't know how to talk about this, I'm afraid that I may be saying something I shouldn't...but...Kyou-kun and Yuki-kun were so scary. I thought that someone was going to get very hurt, and I was afraid. I don't understand..." Kyou slid his arm off the ledge and into the water. He watched her tremble as his hand almost touched the back of her neck. He glanced at Yuki, but the mouse was staring fixedly into the trees. Kyou looked back at Tooru, and saw her bite her lip, "I wish I could understand. I want to understand Kyou-kun and Yuki-kun. I want to know all about them. I know that I don't always know how to act, and that I sometimes make you uncomfortable...but..." She shook her head. "I'm sorry."  
  
"Honda-san," Yuki started, then stopped looking down into the water, he sighed and forced himself to continue. "Honda-san doesn't make us feel uncomfortable. Honda-san is a great comfort." A comfort? She was everything to them. How could she not see that? "Don't ever doubt that."  
  
"You..." Tooru looked up at Kyou. He glared down at her, "Not everything is your fault! Sometimes we get into a bad mood or fight, but that doesn't mean that you did something wrong." Why did she always try to take everything on her shoulders? "Che" He dropped a heavy hand on her bowed head, "Idiot."  
  
Yuki leaned his head on her shoulder, feeling tired. How could she be so honest? Each time he tried to tell her something of how he felt for her, it was like a huge effort. Like dredging up rocks from the bottom of a deep dark mine. He sighed she was worth the effort. "I'm sorry if we scared you. Honda-san," he could get the words out, he was sure of it. He knew he didn't have the right to say them. That he didn't deserve someone like her to be with him. But the warmth spreading between them had loosened something inside him; some door inside had come open. He didn't even care if the baka neko was listening. Wasn't this what he had been working towards saying? He closed his eyes and let his weight lean against her a little more. "Honda-san is the most important person to me."  
  
Kyou looked at Yuki in shock. He couldn't believe the mouse had so much courage. Tooru's head moved under his hand as she leaned to rest it against Yuki's. Her face was bright and flushed, but she looked happy. Kyou started to draw back, his hand sliding away from her head. Tooru took hold of it and lifted her head to rest against it against her cheek.  
  
"Kyou-kun..." She said softly, a dreamy look on her face, her eyes slid away from Kyou back to Yuki, her face red and glowing, "...and Yuki-kun...are the...*most* important people...to me." She smiled again, then fainted and fell face first into the water.  
  
* * * 


	8. Rising Temperatures

"AAAGH!" Kyou leapt up and grabbed her under her shoulders. Yuki grabbed her legs and they together heaved the limp girl out of the water. Yuki laid his ear to her chest, she seemed to be breathing ok. Kyou felt her forehead, "She feels warm, but I can't tell if it's from a fever or the hot spring!"  
  
Yuki sat back, and pushed his dripping hair back. "Ah, we're so stupid. She wasn't herself this morning, then without even eating breakfast we take her on a hike. The hot water probably just made her feel even more light headed." He looked around and grabbed the last towel to put under her head.  
  
"Why didn't she say something!?" Kyou frowned at her still form. As the cool mountain air seeped the heat from her, her skin went from flushed to pale. "She must have started feeling weak, she should have spoken up, the idiot." Kyou moved his hand from her forehead to cup her cheek. She was so still. Why didn't she wake up? "She doesn't pay enough attention to herself, we should have realized she was struggling. Why didn't we realize how hard this was on her?"  
  
Yuki frowned, looking at Tooru's slack face. "Because we weren't thinking of her." They'd been thinking of themselves, their fight, and their jealousies.  
  
The mouse's words hit Kyou like a slap in the face. Never mind that Yuki had only said aloud what was tearing himself up inside. He stood up and began to pace back and forth. "We've got to get her back to the shack."  
  
"Baka Neko," Yuki glared at Kyou, "How can we do that? If we try to carry her we'll just transform." He wiped Tooru's brow with a corner of his towel. Was that perspiration or moisture from the spring?   
  
"Well we can't just leave her here!" Kyou shouted.  
  
"ah." Tooru's hand lifted to her forehead. Her head was throbbing. She tried to sit up. "mm..ah," her head spun, a sickening feeling of vertigo swept over her. She felt as if her head was packed tight with cotton.   
  
As she started to fall back, Yuki rushed to support her. He held her hand and put a steadying hand in between her shoulder blades. "Ah, Honda-san..."   
  
Kyou quickly knelt down and pushed her hair back, it had already fallen out of Yuki's messy braid. "Are you alright?"  
  
Tooru felt as if she was spinning. But Yuki and Kyou looked so concerned. "I-I'm fine."  
"Can you stand?" Without letting releasing her hand, Yuki stood, bracing himself to take her weight as she tried to rise.   
  
"Y-yes." Tooru wasn't so certain she could, but she gave it a good attempt. Resting much of her weight on Yuki's surprisingly strong arm, she levered herself to her feet. Leaving her towel behind her. Both boys went scarlet, eyes bugged. She looked between them confused then down at her self, following their gaze. "EEEEH!" She collapsed in on herself trying to cover herself up.  
  
Yuki fell forward with her, surprised at her weight suddenly disappearing. Stopping himself before he fell on top of her he quickly draped her towel over her shoulders. Kyou spun around, quite sure that this time his hair really was standing on end. He'd seen everything. They'd both seen everything. Panicking he ran over to the clean clothes and pulled out a shirt and a pair of pants. Spinning back he let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. Tooru huddled under the blanket shivering, her eyes were squeezed shut and her face flamed. Yuki hovered over her trying both to support her (she wobbled alarmingly from side to side) and not touch her at the same time. Feeling suddenly gentle he kneeled down before her.  
  
"Here, clothes." He held out the clothes, Tooru reached for them, but wobbled again and almost toppled over. Yuki grabbed her shoulders to keep her from going over, and looped one of her arms over his shoulder, taking the bulk of her weight on him. This let them both see an expanse of creamy skin, but neither was paying much attention. "Che...hold on..." Kyou pulled the towel off and replaced it with the shirt. He lifted one of her arms and pulled it through the sleeve, then supported her weight while Yuki did the same on the other side. Buttoning her up quickly he tried not to look at her face. She was probably crying and he didn't know if he could handle that. Taking the pants he put a foot through each leg, then spoke to Yuki, "Here, stand her up for a minute." Yuki stood, taking Honda's distressingly limp form with him. He was careful not to let her swaying figure fall into his chest, lest he transform and be unable to support her. Kyou lifted the pants and fumbling under the bottom of the shirt, and carefully not thinking about what he was touching, fastened them. "There, done."  
  
Tooru looked down at herself, "Umn..." She was dressed, and thankful to be covered up, but-  
  
-but he'd dressed her in Yuki's shirt, and his own pants! Kyou didn't think his face could have gotten any redder, but it managed somehow.  
  
"It's fine," Yuki said, "Its good enough to get you back to the house." He gently sat her down, and waited to make sure she could support herself. He rummaged through the clothes and found his pants, and quickly stepped into them. He tossed Kyou his sweatshirt then draped Tooru's forgotten dress over an arm. "We'll have to go slow, but you've got to walk back with us. If you faint again we won't be able to get you home."  
  
"Y-yes, ok." Tooru braced herself and tried to stand. She stood but felt herself list to the side. Yuki was there immediately, taking her weight on his arm. She felt Kyou take her other arm balancing her out. He was wearing his sweatshirt and had taken a couple of the towels and securely knotted them around his waist. He was carefully not looking at her.   
  
"Let's go back."  
  
Tooru looked behind her, "Ah, our clothes!" They were still soaking under the falls, and there were still towels scattered around.  
  
"We'll come back for them later." Kyou made sure she had a good grip on his arm and they started forward. Going back took a lot more time than going up. Tooru was disturbingly weak. It took a lot of concentration just to keep her from falling into one or the other of them. They'd had to stop a time or two, to let Tooru catch her breath and Kyou adjust his towels. Both boys were distressed by how warm her skin felt, she had definitely developed a fever. It was with no little relief that they finally entered the clearing that held their temporary home. The little shack had never looked like such a safe haven before.   
  
Kyou and Yuki laid Tooru down in their bed and grew even more worried that she didn't even protest when Yuki offered to make them all tea. Kyou tossed Yuki a shirt while he threw on a pair of pants. Tooru had fallen asleep the minute her head had touched the pillow. She hadn't even bothered to cover herself up. Kyou looked down at her for a long moment before tucking her securely into bed. She looked lost and tiny in his baggy pants and Yuki's loose shirt. Why hadn't he ever noticed how small she was?  
  
Yuki rummaged through the medicines Tooru had gotten at the pharmacy. Most were ones aimed at helping people to breathe, but he managed to find an over the counter cold medicine that promised to reduce fevers. He built up the fire a bit more and put on the teakettle. He poured out a draught of the medicine, and brought it over to her.  
  
"She's sleeping." Kyou didn't look up from her face as he spoke. He felt a strange, coiled feeling in his stomach.   
  
Yuki sat on her other side, careful not to spill the medicine. "Perhaps we should wake her..." Kyou looked up at him, "just for a minute. She'll feel better after she takes this." The silent "I hope" was echoed in both boy's hearts.  
  
"Maybe we should let her sleep, she can take the medicine when she wakes up." Kyou fiddled with a corner of the blanket.   
  
"Un..." Yuki put the draught out of harms way above Tooru's head, "we should make dinner. She hasn't eaten breakfast or lunch. She needs her strength."  
  
"I think there is some rice, and some other stuff..." Kyou bit his lip, "I'll make some soup. It's good for people with fevers. Do we have any leeks?"  
  
"Leeks?" Yuki's face was priceless. He never thought that he'd hear the cat ask for his most hated of foods.  
  
"They're good for people with fevers." Kyou looked at the other boy defensively, "that's what all the books said."  
  
"Ah." Yuki didn't know how to respond to that, "Its too early for leeks."  
  
"Oh." Kyou sounded lost.  
  
"Soup would be good though." Yuki didn't know why he was tying to comfort the cat. He shouldn't care if the baka neko looked like he was about to cry. He hated him...how did it go...till the day he died, he hated that guy. Didn't he? Yuki felt as if the ground beneath his feet had become a shifting morass. It was with no little relief that he got up to pour the tea when the kettle whistled.  
  
The noise woke Tooru, jolting her out of her light sleep. Kyou helped her sit up, distressed at her heavy lidded look. "Here, drink this." Kyou handed her the medicine and watched her make a face as she drank it down. Yuki was back at her other side in an instant, holding a cup of freshly brewed tea to her lips. Tooru sipped it and then lay back.  
  
A minute later she launched her self up, only the quick thinking and faster hands of the boys kept her from falling over a second later. "Ah, lunch...I mean dinner...I haven't made it yet!" She tried to get up from her sitting position. "I'm sorry! I'll get up and..." she stopped when the world spun. The edges of her vision started to go dark, and she felt like she was spinning. "Ah."  
  
"Honda-san, lay back." It took very little pressure from Yuki's hands to guide her back to a horizontal position. "Kyou is going to make dinner."  
  
Tooru rolled her eyes to the hearth, where Kyou had already put a pot on the stove. He stood over it adding things to the pot, sweat-dropping. "Just rest already." He stirred the pot, "It will be ready in just a little while."  
  
The flushing girl closed her eyes and nodded. In moments she was asleep again. Yuki sighed and stood. As much as he wanted to just sit by her and stare at her, he knew that when she woke if the little cabin wasn't in some semblance of order she'd insist on getting up. He gathered up the towels they had discarded as the walked in and started to head outside with them.  
  
"Don't hang those outside, it's going to rain tonight." Kyou didn't look up from the hearth.  
  
"Ah." Yuki didn't question how Kyou knew; with his special problems he probably had developed some sort of weather sense. He looked down helplessly at the wet towels in his hands. If he just folded them up they'd mildew.  
  
"Lay them out over here, by the hearth." Kyou gestured behind him, "The heat will dry them." He closed his eyes and gave the pot a few extra stirs. He'd only just said that because Tooru would be upset if the place was a mess or if the towels were ruined. It had nothing to do with the mouse looking upset and worried. "I hate him, I hate him, I hate him." Kyou repeated the thought over and over, not thinking about how it sounded less like a mantra and more like a reminder.  
  
"I'll go wash out the bowls." Yuki left the shack quickly. This new feeling developing between him and Kyou...it was unsettling. It wasn't the first time that he and Kyou had found themselves talking easier since Tooru had come into their lives. His mind flashed back to New Year's Eve. Shigure had accused them of sounding like gossiping housewives, but it had been the first real conversation he could ever remember having with Kyou, ever. Not that they'd spent much time together before Tooru had come to live with them. Whenever Kyou had appeared to challenge him, they really hadn't spoken much beyond jibes. They'd seen each other once or twice when they were children, at family parties. Akito had pointed out Kyou to him that first time.   
  
"Look there," Yuki still shivered at the memory of Akito's hand on the back of his neck, "there, that one." Akito's long delicate finger pointed to a little redheaded boy who was being clutched tight by someone he assumed was his mother. "Isn't it disgusting? That is the cat. He shouldn't be here among us. Later we will have a party and we shan't invite him." Dressed in his New Year's finery, Yuki remembered wanting to ask why, and thinking that the little boy didn't look disgusting. He looked frightened. Yuki's memory dredged up details he hadn't realized at the time. And the grip the woman had on his wrist...at first it had looked loving, like she held his hand. But her knuckles were white. Kyou had noticed Yuki looking his way and had glared at him. Evidently the cat knew who he was. Had it started then? The hatred between them?  
Yuki shook his head irritably and pulled the bowls from the stream, attacking them with a cloth to dry them. What use was it to think about it? What did it matter when it started, or how it started? It would never end. Kyou hated him or he hated Kyou, that's just the way it was. That the cat should hate the rat, that the rat should hate the cat that was just the way it would always be.  
  
* * * 


	9. Dropping Barometer

Kyou glanced away from the burbling pot to the sleeping girl on the floor. Little beads of perspiration dotted her furrowed brow and she was frowning. If she was dreaming, it wasn't anything pleasant. It looked like Tooru was really ill. How could she have gotten this way so quickly? How could they not have noticed? Why hadn't she said anything?  
  
Hearing Yuki enter the shack, he fixed his attention back on the pot. He heard a clattering noise and glanced over to the table. Yuki was setting up the table and trying to tidy the rest of the cabin. It was strange to see him doing such domestic things. He looked back at the soup and had to laugh at himself. Domestic? And what was he doing himself? He took the soup off the heat.   
  
"It's done." Yuki jumped at Kyou's voice. It sounded loud in the quiet shack.  
  
"She's still sleeping." Yuki sat down at the table, resisting the urge to sit by her and watch her sleep.  
  
Kyou dished out bowls for himself and Yuki. "I'll heat it up again when she wakes. Its better for her to sleep." He hoped. The boys ate in silence for a few minutes. Tooru's soft breathing filled the room, and the little clinks and scrapes from eating sounded magnified. It was too quiet. Both jumped when the first patters of rain began to fall. Kyou sighed as the unmistakable sound of a dripping leak began to fill the cabin. He looked around till he saw where the water was falling and put a bowl underneath it. He winced at the plink! plink! plink! noise it made. He glanced up at Yuki then frowned back into his soup. "I'll fix it once it stops raining."  
  
"Its pretty amazing still, " Yuki started, grabbing the excuse to break the silence, "That a few leaks are all we have to deal with. It must have been hard to build this all on your own." He steadfastly kept his eyes on his soup or on the boards around them and not at Kyou.  
  
"Un." Kyou replied and ate a bit more of his soup. He was surprisingly grateful that Yuki had spoken, the silence had been pressing in on him. "Well, I didn't build it completely from scratch. After Shishou left, I stayed to train on my own. I found this place but all that was standing was the foundation and a little bit of the hearth. I just rebuilt it. The hardest part was getting the materials. A lot of the wood was from the old building, and I pulled some bark to fill in the gaps." He sighed as he heard another drip striking the boards. He got up to locate it. Finding it he put a cup underneath it. "I guess I didn't get them all." He stopped and stirred his soup with his spoon. He didn't know what to say next. He couldn't remember ever sitting and just talking with the mouse before. There was that one time...when they'd been waiting for Tooru to return from visiting her friends just before new years. But then there had been the TV and books to study. They had other things to focus on than each other. They'd actually had a conversation then. It had been about schoolwork, and it had been short, but they hadn't fought. They'd managed not to fight once, waiting for her to come home.  
  
"Still," Yuki started, surprised himself at his need to keep the conversation going. Usually he was content with silence. "It's amazing. Like Honda-san's tent."  
  
"Tent?" Kyou felt like he was on a bit firmer footing. Talking about Tooru was ok. It wasn't as disconcerting as talking about himself to the mouse.   
  
Yuki propped up his head with his hand, resting his elbow on the table, "Didn't we ever tell you? How Honda-san came to live with us?" He stirred his soup idly, remembering seeing her pop out of her tent, sleepy and red faced.  
  
"I asked remember?" Kyou said irritably, "You said it wasn't any of my business who you had living in the house. It wasn't until she had to go back home that I even knew it was supposed to be temporary." He clinked his spoon down with greater force then he meant to and splattered a bit of his soup on the table. It still pissed him off, her having had to go through that pain. He mopped up the soup crossly, mad at himself as the silence stretched. He hadn't intended to kill the talk. He spooned up another mouthful, then spoke, "I thought maybe you'd heard about her needing a place in school maybe and offered. Or Shigure had put an ad for a maid...or something." It sounded lame even to him. In all honesty, he hadn't really thought of it at all. She was just there. It was where she belonged.  
  
Yuki sighed and ate a bit more, "No, though he talked about it before, wanting to get a maid or a cook. We were eating out just about everyday before she came." He brushed back his hair and leaned his head back again, "But it wasn't until we found Honda-san living in a tent one night that I even knew anything about her. I'd heard her mother had passed away in school, but I never really thought about her one way or another."  
  
Kyou looked directly at Yuki for the first time, a forgotten spoon near his mouth, "Living in a tent? Where?"  
  
"On Souma lands, not too far from the house...you know that area they're always re-shoring?"  
  
"That place off the path, near the stream? The place where ground is always shifting?" Kyou lowered his spoon back to his bowl.  
  
"Un. There. Shigure and I were walking home from dinner and saw her walking in from her part-time job. I'd seen her on the way to school and she'd said she'd lived nearby. I thought she was lying...that she was like the princess club maybe and had followed me home. But she really did live near us, just not in a house." Yuki was oddly enjoying the audience. The story of how Honda had come to live with them was amazing but he'd never had the opportunity to tell anyone before. "She'd been there for about a week. At first she begged us to let her rent the land, saying that she'd pay to live there in her tent. 'Slugs, and bugs, I'm well acquainted with them, physical strength, I have lots of it' Then she almost fainted, she was sick with a fever but still determined."  
  
"Sounds like her." Kyou said shortly. "But I don't understand, didn't she have anywhere else to go? Hanajima? Or even the Yankee?"  
  
"She didn't want to burden them." The drollness was unfeigned.   
  
Kyou covered his face with his hand, and pushed his bowl to the side with the other. "Idiot."  
  
"Un." Yuki gathered their bowls and placed them outside to soak in the rain. He dropped the blanket over the doorway. The wind was starting to pick up. "That night, when were talking, there was a landslide. It destroyed her tent. It was only because she didn't have anywhere else to go that she agreed to take the room. I can't believe she thought she could live in a tent. She told me once that there was a night where the tent was almost blown away by a typhoon."  
  
"Che, I can't believe her sometimes." Kyou walked over to the fire and built it up. The rain was beginning to seep into his bones and make him feel chilled. "We won't have to worry about that up here. The mountain protects us from most of the worst weather." He leaned up against the wall near the hearth, and let the warmth soak into him. He'd love to wrap himself in a blanket, but they'd wrapped them all around Tooru. He'd have to snuggle up to her if he wanted to use any of them. His face flushed at a quick memory of soft exposed skin. Not that he didn't want to...  
  
"Are the towels dry?" Yuki asked. He was shrugging into his jacket. He was feeling the drop in temperature too. He didn't begrudge Kyou his spot by the fire, he knew the cat felt the weather more than he did. Kyou started, face flushing. He bent down to check the towels.  
  
"Yeah," He folded them up and put them aside with the rest of their supplies in the back corner. Silence descended again in the cabin, but it was a comfortable silence this time. It was dark outside, and the little fire from the hearth had trouble keeping the cabin lit. Kyou and Yuki felt themselves nodding to sleep where they sat.  
  
"Still," Yuki began again, feeling as if he was half asleep. "Its amazing. I was thinking of running away back then. I wanted to escape the Soumas." He rested his head on his arms folded on the table. He spoke more to the room then to the drowsing cat by the fire. "I could have been like Honda-san and gotten a tent. Or like you, and built something for myself far away. Instead I stayed, and lived on the Souma lands, off of Souma money. I guess I'm just a coward after all."  
  
"Stupid mouse." Kyou paused to yawn hugely, his eyes closed. He scratched the bridge of his nose. "It doesn't take courage to run away." He stretched out his legs in front of the fire. "That's why I came back, to fight. Idiot."  
  
Yuki looked up after a minute, expecting Kyou to continue. But the cat had fallen asleep where he sat. Yuki laid his head back on his arms and turned his head so that he could look at Tooru. He blinked a few times then drifted off to sleep himself.   
  
* * *  
  
Tooru opened her eyes and for a moment felt a deep confusion. It was very dark, and she felt like she was smothering. Something was covering her face. She sat up, and sighed with relief as the blankets that she'd burrowed under slid from her face. She'd been covered in blankets. She took a deep breath and leaned against a steadying hand. She raised her other hand to her swimming head. She still felt woozy and unsettled. She had an awful feeling of something being out of place. She looked to either side of her and realized she was alone. She looked around the room and gave a shaky smile. Yuki lay sprawled across the table, and Kyou looked like he'd tipped over to his side from a seat by the fire. Yuki was wearing his jacket; he must have been cold. Tooru looked guiltily at the pile of blankets over her. They'd given them all to her. The fire had died down and the shack was chilly. Wrapping one of the blankets around herself she picked up a couple and carefully walked over to boy at the table. She was about to put the blanket over his shoulders when something wet hit her hand. She looked up to see a steady drip coming down through the ceiling. She looked down at Yuki's arm; the coat sleeve was soaked. It had been raining on him and it didn't look as if he'd even stirred. She giggled a bit to herself at how sound a sleeper he was, but knew she was presented with a new problem. She couldn't just leave him there.  
  
"Yuki-kun." She whispered, laying a hand on his shoulder, "Yuki-kun." She shook his shoulder a bit when he didn't respond. He finally lifted a groggy head.  
  
"Honda...san?" His head started to dip back down to the table. Tooru pulled him back into an upright position. She could tell by his heavy lidded look that he was still asleep just like the times he would wander the house in the morning at home. He was pliable though and responded to her gentle suggestions. It took a little urging but he finally stood. Tooru thought any moment he would fully wake.  
  
"Yuki-kun, you're jacket its wet." She reached up to unbutton the top clasp hoping he would get the idea and continue on his own. Instead he just stood there, swaying a bit, and let her unbutton his jacket and then remove it. She lifted his arm, getting used to treating him like a life sized Yuki doll. The shirt was wet as well. It would have to come off. She unbuttoned him, and removed his shirt. She took the blanket and threw it over his shoulders. He took the hint and wrapped it around himself. She turned and laid his wet things by the fire, and took a minute to lay a blanket over Kyou. He stirred lightly, but just clutched the blanket to himself and seemed to drop into a deeper sleep. She turned back to Yuki. His eyes had dropped shut and he was asleep on his feet. She looked around for something to dress him in, but all his clothes were either dirty, wet, or something she didn't think she could manage to get him into on her own. Yuki gave a little light snore from where he stood, and that decided her. There were enough blankets to keep him warm till morning. Then he could dress himself. She took him by the hand, and his eyes opened again in that sleepy droopy way. "Yuki-kun, come to bed." She led him over to the bed and levered him into kneeling on the ground. She lay out herself hoping he'd get the idea. She planned to pull the blankets up once he'd stretched himself out. Yuki looked at her sleepily for a moment, his blanket still clutched tight around him. Then he lay down on his side, and much to her surprise rested his head against her chest. Snuggling close and laying his arm on her hip he let out a deep breath that she felt flow through her clothes and into her skin. What little tension there had been in him melted away and he seemed completely at ease. Even in his sleeping state he was careful that his chest didn't brush her, keeping his other arm between them. Tooru felt stiff as a board, she knew that Yuki was asleep and didn't know what he was doing, but still...  
"Umn...Yuki...kun." She whispered.  
  
"Just...for a minute..." Tooru felt the words puff out against her chest where he was nestled. There was hardly any volume to the words at all. "Honda...san...is..." For a moment she thought he'd fallen completely back to sleep and almost started when he began again, "..so warm..." The sound of his breathing changed after a moment, and she could tell he'd fallen into a deeper sleep. Afraid to move and startle him awake, or move the wrong way and cause him to transform, she tried to lie as still as possible. She tried not to think of the warm heavy weight between her breasts, or the soft rhythmic breaths against her skin through the cloth, or the hand clutching her hip. She listened to the rain fall, the fire pop and not knowing when it happened fell back to sleep herself.  
  
* * *  
  
When she woke again it was still dark. This night had a timeless feel, and she felt completely disoriented. She had no idea what time it was or how close to morning it was. She lay curled on her side and tried to organize her thoughts. She felt dim witted and woozy and as if she was searching for something or trying to remember something but couldn't figure out what it was. She tried to lie still and let her thoughts settle. She felt both wide-awake and like she just wanted to let herself slip back to sleep at the same time. She just felt so disoriented. She took stock of her surroundings. Yuki's weight was gone but his hand remained on her hip. He'd been restless in his sleep, and had curled up into a fetal position. He was practically lying sideways on the pallet, half on his half on hers. It was his odd positioning that had caused her to curl up, her body positioned almost protectively around his head. She's been turned around a bit herself, her own head wasn't on the pillows anymore. She lifted her head and gave a soft moan. It felt like it had gained 10 pounds. She lay it back down and rolled on to her back. She had been re-covered with blankets. She didn't remember that happening. Under the blankets Yuki's hand had lost its grip on her hip and lay flat against her stomach when she turned. Tooru looked at the ceiling for a minute and tried to settle her vision. The world felt like it was turning much more quickly then it normally did. Her arm flapped to the side and struck something solid. Looking over she realized at some point Kyou had come to bed. And she'd just hit him in the face. His eyes were open looking at her in surprise. She hadn't moved her hand she realized and it still lay against his cheek.  
  
"I-I'm sorry." She whispered. She drew her hand a way and rested it on her stomach. Yuki's sleeping fingers entwined with hers.  
  
Kyou closed his eyes. "It's okay." He wasn't completely awake himself. He opened his eyes and examined her. Her eyes were glassy, and her face was still flushed. He'd been surprised earlier to wake and find himself covered by the fire. That Yuki had been in bed with Tooru, shirtless and close had been shocking. He'd tripped over the mouse's wet jacket and shirt that explained at least part of it. Tooru blinked at him and he rolled over on his stomach and scootched closer for a better look. She didn't flinch back, which worried him. Lifting a hand, he laid it against her cheek then put his knuckles against her forehead. She was burning up. It was disconcerting, the way she just stared at him. "I'm going to get you some more medicine."  
  
He poured out a measure of it, and came back to the hearth, helping her to sit up. He came prepared with a mug of cold tea to wash away the nasty taste of the medicine. She obediently drank both down.  
  
The tea seemed to wake her up a bit. She looked down into her mug. "I'm sorry for waking Kyou-kun." She opened her mouth to say something else but was rudely interrupted by her growling stomach.   
  
Kyou made a disgusted noise. What was he thinking? She hadn't eaten all day. That along with her fever was going to make her feel horrible and out of joint. "I made soup, I'll heat some up for you." He built up the fire and took a glance at the medication label. It even recommended taking with food. He quickly warmed up the soup and poured it into a mug so she wouldn't have to get up to eat it. She sat up but listed to the side. Kyou sat down then turned away from her abruptly. "Here...lean against me." Tooru blinked at his back for a moment, blushing for reasons besides the fever she gratefully put her back to his and leaned back. She had held her mug of soup in one hand, and Yuki's hand under the blankets. She rested her head against his back and sipped at her soup. Kyou felt his face heat as the silence stretched. "Are you feeling better?"  
  
"Yes." She replied simply. The soup was making her feel better. It warmed the pit of her stomach and seemed to setting the world into order. It room wasn't listing around so alarmingly anymore either. She was starting to feel more awake too. "Kyou-kun's soup is very good."  
  
"Mmn. It's nothing special." Kyou rested his head on his drawn up knees. The fire was dying down again, but he couldn't build it up without moving away from Tooru. He pulled up a blanket and wrapped it around the two of them. "Just make sure you drink all of it!"  
  
"OK!" Tooru said emphatically and took a gulp. She started to choke and Kyou turned to pat her between the shoulders.  
  
"I-idiot! You don't have to drink it all at once!"  
  
"Sorry." Tooru looked down at her mug.  
  
"It's fine." Kyou looked away, and settled back. He closed his eyes as he felt her weight settle back into his. So much had happened in the past couple of days. He couldn't remember ever being so casual with a person before. He didn't want it to go away, but he was sure it wouldn't last. Nothing this good could ever last. It was some mistake, he was sure. Tooru drank down the last of the soup and handed it back Kyou. She lay back and Kyou lay on his side next to her, looking at her face. She looked better. Her skin wasn't so white and her cheeks weren't as flushed. He suddenly felt very tired and relieved. Barely waiting to make sure she'd fallen back to sleep, Kyou felt himself dropping back to sleep himself. 


	10. False Calm

_author's note: I just want to thank everyone who's taken the time to comment on my fic, it really is appreciated. I'm sorry this chapter took so long, I'll try to make sure the chapters come out more regularly in the future. --Merrow_

Yuki woke to find the world had turned on its side. He was pretty sure it was morning despite the general dark grayness past the threshold. He was looking at neither the wall of the shack nor Tooru but instead at the flapping blanket across the doorway. He blinked at it stupidly. The last thing he remembered was sitting at the table and talking to Kyou. The rhythmic pat, pat, pat that seemed to echo through the tiny house told him that it was still raining. He closed his eyes and shivered. He didn't ever remember waking up this chilled before. Had the temperature dropped? He sat up slowly, his mind still working its way to full wakefulness. The blanket slid off his shoulder and the cold air made his skin crawl. His skin? Yuki looked down in surprise at his bare chest. He was half naked! Wrapping the blanket around himself he sat up straighter. For some reason he'd been sleeping sideways on the bed. He looked at Tooru who had rolled to her side and scooted close to Kyou in her sleep. She was so close in fact that she was actually resting against him, her face buried between his shoulder blades and the rest of her molded close. They shared a blanket. Yuki looked down at himself practically huddling in his blanket. What had happened last night? What had happened to his shirt and coat? Why was he sleeping in such an odd position? Why were Tooru and Kyou...like that?

A rhythmic noise drew his attention. At first he'd assumed that the sound was something being flapped in the wind out side, or water hitting something. But the tempo was too unsteady and it had just sped up. Befuddled beyond belief, Yuki got up to investigate the noise. Stepping around Tooru and Kyou he glanced around at the hearth, table and back corner. He turned back to the bed and found himself meeting a rather desperate look from Kyou. The tapping noise had been his finger against the floor.

Yuki blinked at him. "Kyou?" he whispered, hesitant to speak in the near silence of the shack.

"Kuso Nezumi," Kyou whispered harshly, "you kept moving all night. You practically took up both yours and her bed. She was asleep..." Kyou's eyes flicked from Yuki's to make an almost look over his shoulder. "...But she kept moving out of your way anyway. I couldn't wake her, she's sick, she needs her sleep. If I move I'll wake her. But..." Kyou's eyes squeezed shut and his tapping finder sped up, "I really have to go!"

Go? Yuki's eyes widened. Oh!

Tooru sat up and rubbed her eyes, unconsciously laying one of her hands on Kyou's side for support. She looked up at Yuki sleepily. "Good Morning Yuki-kun."

"Ah...Honda-san..."

Tooru followed Yuki's gaze to where her hands lay. "Aaa~h! I'm sorry Kyou-kun!" her hands flew up and she backed away from him, her face a brilliant red.

The minute her hand lifted Kyou leapt up and made a dash for the door. Ignoring that it was still raining outside, he pushed aside the flap and ran out. Yuki looked from the flapping door back to the bed. Tooru sat with wide eyes and a red face in a huddle of blankets. She pulled the blankets up to her chin and looked at Yuki in shock. 

"Ano...." Yuki started, at a complete loss for what to say. He knew that she had to be thinking that she'd done something terrible to make Kyou flee so quickly away from her. But he just couldn't tell her why the baka neko had gone stampeding from the house. He wrapped the blanket tighter around himself. He just...couldn't. "Do you know where my shirt is?"

"Ah," Tooru blushed redder then ever, "It's by the fire. It was wet."

"Wet?" Yuki blinked at her. How had his shirt gotten wet? He walked over to the fire and picked up his now dry coat and shirt. His coat as well? He quickly shrugged on his shirt, grateful for the lingering warmth from the fire. He looked back and Honda, questions obvious on his face.

She flushed even more, red to the roots of her hair. Didn't he remember anything of last night? "Water was dripping on Yuki-kun while he slept on the table." She bit her lip. How much should she tell him? She didn't want to be untruthful. But it how was she supposed to put in plain words what had gone on? How could she explain that she undressed him while he was sleepwalking? That he embraced her, and snuggled close? She put her hand to her chest under the blanket. She could still feel phantom breaths where he'd breathed how warm she was. "I tried to wake Yuki-kun...but..." Tooru trailed off helplessly.

"I was sleepwalking?" Yuki's face cleared as Honda nodded. That explained it. He'd probably half woken up with his shirt and coat wet and had just taken them off and slipped into bed as he was. That explained why he'd been sleeping in such an odd position too. Sometimes he'd find himself sleeping at the table back home, or underneath it if it was cold, with no memory of how he'd gotten there. He didn't sleepwalk often and he hated the unsettled and mixed-up way it left him feeling when he woke. He especially hated not knowing what he'd done or possibly said. He glanced at Tooru, still jumbled up in the sheets. Her blush still hadn't completely faded. The way he'd woken, the position he had been in, was so very odd. Kyou's voice whispered in his mind.

"Kuso Nezumi...you kept moving all night."

"She was asleep...but she kept moving out of your way..."

Moving out of his way? Exactly what had he been doing in his sleep? A multitude of options ranged through is fertile imagination. Some just mildly embarrassing, others too horrible to contemplate for a teenage boy in the presence of a girl he cares for. "Honda-san..." he began hesitantly, "If I bothered...or inconvenienced you at all last night..."

"Ah!" Tooru held up her hands in protest, "Yuki-kun didn't bother me!" The slight boy didn't fail to notice the slight strain to her smile or that her face had begun to heat once more. Just what had he done last night?

"Kuso..." Yuki turned to look at Kyou who had stepped dripping across the threshold, "I hate rain." He pointedly didn't even glance at Yuki or Tooru as he grabbed a towel from the back corner and vigorously attacked his wet hair with it. He sat down in front of the fire and tried not to let them see him shiver in his wet clothes. He picked up the pot of soup from the night before; there was more than enough to have for breakfast. He put it on the hearth to heat and fed more wood into the fire. Perhaps if he stayed close enough to the fire long enough, the almost permanent flush on his face would be assumed to be from the heat.

Breakfast was a strained affair as all three wrestled with the demons they carried over the yesterday's restless night. Kyou had insisted Tooru stay in bed. She was still somewhat feverish and there was no reason to expose her to the cold, damp air that pervaded the cabin. It would just make her worse off. Yuki had seconded the motion, pointing out with the rain that there wasn't much for her to do out of bed anyway. Tooru had finally relented and allowed herself to be tucked tight with blankets and accepted another warming mug of soup.

"Mother," she thought to herself as the soup worked its warmth through her body, "Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun are such kind people." She wasn't used to being so...so coddled. Her mother had cared for her, and loved her dearly and worked hard to provide for her. She'd always made her feel precious. But this feeling was different. She felt sheltered, she felt *protected*. Her heart felt huge, it couldn't contain the feelings she had within her. "Someday, Mother, I won't be able to help it. It's all going to spill out." She snuggled down into the blankets and enjoyed her soup. Hana-chan and Uo-chan had always tried to protect her too. It was such a nice feeling knowing someone cared for you so. Her heart ached a little when she thought about Uo-chan and Hana-chan. They must be very worried about her. She hadn't even said goodbye to them.

"Honda-san," Tooru looked up to see Yuki looking at her. He had that secret kind look on his face. Tooru loved seeing that expression, perhaps because it was so rare. "If you're still feeling tired...don't force yourself. Please feel free to sleep some more."

"Here, I'll build the fire up so it'll be warm." Kyou piled wood on the fire till it blazed. "Don't worry about lunch or anything I used to cook for myself while I was training all the time." He scratched the back of his head, and stared at the fire. "I can't promise it will taste good though."

Tooru felt like she was going to cry. They were being so nice. They hadn't fought once today, not even to bicker or call names. "Mother, I shouldn't be wishing to be anywhere else or with anyone else." Yuki and Kyou, they gave up everything to come here. School, home, family...they'd left it all behind. Tooru lay down and burrowed beneath the blankets. "Mother," she thought, "I don't know how I can measure up to them. I'll always be running after them...trying to catch up." She fell back to sleep as she made a promise in her heart to never stop trying.

* * *"She's asleep, you can change now." Yuki's words were blasé and careless, perfectly engineered to get under Kyou's skin.

Kyou shot a disgusted look at Yuki, but quickly stripped off his damp shirt and put on dry sweatshirt. He shot a quick glance at Tooru to make sure she was asleep before dropping his pants and stepping out of them.

"Didn't make it out quick enough?" Yuki goaded, stacking the breakfast dishes.

"Its just from the rain!" Kyou's ears burned as he pulled up a dry pair. Breakfast had been uncomfortable enough after the strange night they'd just passed, but Kyou had to sit through it in wet stuck on clothes. Kyou steadfastly refused to look at Yuki. He could feel the mouse just waiting for an opportunity to sink in another barb. The cat was not in the mood to play today. He was tired and the rain was draining him of any energy he might have had usually. He desperately wanted to go back to bed, but that meant doing two things he would never do. Show weakness in front of that damned Yuki and climbing into bed with Tooru in front of that damn Yuki. 

"Damn Yuki, Damn Yuki, Damn Yuki, Damn Yuki, *DAMN* YUKI!" He thought to himself. It was the stupid mouse's fault he felt so drawn out and stretched thin today. Kyou sat irritably by the fire and drew his knees up. Staring into the flames he rested his head on his arms. He glanced at Tooru sleeping peacefully under the mound of blankets. He pressed himself against the wall of the roughshod building till it creaked. It didn't help; he could still feel her pressed against his back. He sighed and let his head fall back onto his arms. It hadn't been all bad last night, had it? He'd woken the moment she first moved. He'd suddenly found his eyes open, it had taken his mind and ears a few moments to catch up to what had woken him. Tooru was moving restlessly, she'd shift to her side and was facing him. She seemed closer than she had before. A second rustling sound drew his attention. Kyou lifted his head and looked over Tooru. Yuki was laid out flat on his back, his blanket beneath him and his arms flung wide. As he watched the slim boy drew his arms together above his hands and then arched his back in a stretch. His hands brushed against the girl sleeping next to him. Tooru made a little noise in her sleep and obligingly moved out of Yuki's way. Yuki turned on his side and curled up in a fetal position, somehow managing to stay close to Tooru. In fact if he watched long enough, Kyou could see the mouse slowly pulling himself closer to her probably attracted to her body heat. "He's got to be freezing." He thought. He wondered fleetingly again how the other boy had ended up in bed with Tooru with no shirt. He'd found the wet one by the fire, but that didn't explain how it had gotten wet or why he hadn't gotten into another before going to bed. And there had been the way he and Tooru were arranged on the bed.

It was most suspicious. What had gone on while he slept by the fire? Kyou could feel the question burbling up in his throat, just waiting to be spewed out. He choked it back, but the question roiled around in his stomach. He knew that Tooru "liked" Yuki, all the girls in school "liked" Yuki. But she wouldn't have...done anything...with the damn mouse...not with him sleeping in the same room. He wouldn't have put it past Yuki to try something however and saying "no" wasn't something that Tooru was good at. The mouse thought he hadn't noticed...that he didn't see when Yuki would smile at her that way. That smile he didn't give to anyone else. That stupid, gentle, sappy smile that was just for her. But Kyou noticed. Kyou had gotten used to watching Yuki, checking for weaknesses, for flaws he could exploit. He noticed plenty.

"What are you glaring at, Baka Neko?" Yuki met Kyou's challenging glare with a sigh. He was sick to death of being glowered at by that stupid cat. He hadn't even done anything...had he? He hated not knowing, the uncertainty, and the embarrassment. As much as he'd like to think that he'd know, or Tooru would somehow tell him if he'd done something awful, he knew she was much more likely to just keep it to herself. To smooth things over as easily as possible to keep everyone comfortable she would keep silent. But it was worse not knowing. Even worse was having Kyou's accusing glare boring into the back of his neck. Stupid, stupid, stupid cat! It wasn't as if *he'd* spent the night being snuggled up to by Tooru. (He was pretty sure.) Yuki's eyes narrowed at he continued to stare back at Kyou. If he came anywhere close to Tooru she just blushed and hid her face, but she didn't seem to have that problem with the stupid cat. She smiled at him all the time. She even encouraged him to in his vendetta. He couldn't erase how comfortable Tooru had looked with her face buried between the other's shoulders. Baka neko.

Kyou opened his mouth to respond, when Tooru stirred on the bed. Breaking the staring contest with Yuki he looked back into the flames of the fire. "Quiet, or you'll wake her." As much as he wanted to start something with the damn mouse right now, Tooru needed her rest more. 

Yuki sighed and let it go. Nothing would be gained if Tooru were disturbed. He glanced out the flapping door. It was getting lighter and it looked like the rain was beginning to taper off. Good. He'd be able to go out and look for more food today. Their stores were beginning to run low. Perhaps he'd check that berry patch he'd found earlier. There might be some early strawberries by now. He'd love to present her with a happy surprise. He scratched idly at one of the long scratches on his arm. He glanced down at the angry red marks. Thank goodness they didn't seem infected. Maybe he'd go up to the hot spring, it was a ways away, but the towels and their clothes were still up there. Tooru had forgotten them for now, but once she'd remembered them she'd fret. Warmth flooded through him at the thought of the hot spring. Had that really been just yesterday? His arm tingled at the memory of her soft fingers carefully tending his cuts and scrapes. It was more than worth going through the damage if that was going to be the reward at the end.

"Honda-san is the most important person to me." The words he said back then dropped like a pin in his heart. They rang out against in the long empty chamber. He'd said it, he'd really said it. He called up the moment in his mind. They'd been so wonderfully, deliciously close. 

"Kyou-kun....and Yuki-kun...are the most important people to me." And she's said it too. Yuki's thoughts darkened. But then they'd made sure that they would be the most important, hadn't they? They'd taken her away from everyone else. She had no family of consequence. Hanajima and Uotani, her only friends, he and Kyou had neatly managed to separate her from them. Perhaps forever. He could be happy, if it was just she in his life, he didn't need anything or anyone else. Sometimes he thought he could live just knowing that she existed. But could Tooru really live like that? How could she possibly be happy living like that? She should be somewhere where everyone could admire her. He glanced at Tooru laying flushed and sleeping in the sheets. He may deserve to live in dark, cold places for being cursed by the rat. He may deserve to be alone, but she didn't. "She shouldn't be here." His soul whispered to his heart. "But she is! She is!" his heart pleaded back. She was there and he couldn't imagine his life again without her. 

* * *


	11. Rising Winds

"Do you think the rain is going to last much longer?" Yuki stood at the doorway, holding the flap wide. The air seemed warmer to him and the sun seemed to be making an effort to break free of the clouds. It was barely noon he realized in surprise. They must have risen early this morning.   
  
Kyou peered out the door and tossed out some vegetable peelings. "No, it'll stop soon." He'd been feeling better since he'd taken a little nap by the fire. He didn't have that deep weariness that came with a day full of rain. "It'll probably be sunny the rest of the day." Good, he'd be able to work out a little. He felt positively lazy. He could almost feel himself getting out of shape, his muscles losing tone. He'd never beat the mouse this way, he thought as he put the meager pile of veggies in the pot. They would hardly add much flavor to the soup but they didn't have much else. He'd like to repair some of the leaks that had popped up in the last bit of rain, but he didn't want to disturb Tooru. She had been sleeping on and off all morning. He glanced back at the bed. She was awake now and mending some clothing after being told sternly that she still wasn't allowed out of bed. Typically, she wasn't able to stay idle for long. Her fever had dropped, but the flush hadn't completely gone from her skin.   
  
And though she wouldn't admit it to the others, Tooru was still feeling a bit light headed. She was determined to carry her own weight and not be a burden to the others. She concentrated on making her stitches neat and even. She wouldn't lose to a fever.   
Yuki shrugged on his overcoat A little while after the rain finally tapered off. If they wanted to have more than soup tonight he'd have to find something else for them to eat. He hoped to find more of those yams; they'd be good roasted on a cold day like today.  
"Yuki-kun is going out?" Tooru asked from the bed. Yuki frowned a little to see how pale she looked.  
  
"Un. I want to look for more food, and I think I'll go up to the hot spring and get our-" He'd been about to say clothes, but a sudden flash memory of an exposed stretch of smooth flushed skin made him suddenly switch gears, "things we left behind." He looked away from Tooru before she could see the creeping blush and figure out what he was thinking.   
"But...it's almost lunchtime." Tooru looked at the back of Yuki's head and wondered why he wouldn't look at her. He must be annoyed that I'm sick, she thought. I'm always so much trouble. "Mother," she thought fervently, "I'll get better fast!"  
  
Yuki stepped out of the shack and into the sun breaking out of the clouds. He looked back over his shoulder and gave her a sweet, gentle smile. "I'll eat when I get back. Please take the time and rest." Tooru flushed red.   
  
"Mother," she thought in awe as she watched him walk away into the sunlight, "Yuki looks so pretty." Like the others he'd lost weight, unused to the hard physicality of living so rough and eating so little. It was if their time on the mountain had washed away much of Yuki's softness and all that was left was a wiry slender strength. He'd become more angular and seemed somehow more delicate but not fragile. Yuki had always seemed economical in his movements, but now it was if no gesture was wasted. The sunlight gleamed off his hair and skin still pale by nature but starting to darken from constant exposure. Tooru watched him flick hair that had somehow gotten shaggy without them noticing it out of his face. She put a hand up to her own hair and wondered if it was getting long too. She remembered the feeling of Yuki's long fingers threading through and untangling her hair. Running her own fingers through it, she felt suddenly overwhelmed. "Mother..." Tears started leaking out of the corners of her eyes, "I don't know how much longer I can hold it all back." She held tight to her hair and covered her face with it. Her hair became wet with tears as she tried to hold in her sobs.  
  
Kyou went through the final movements of his daily routine. The minute the rain slacked off he had been outside. He'd barely acknowledged Yuki as he passed completely absorbed in the feelings and signals his body was sending him. It felt like his blood was singing. It was one of those special times when every action seemed perfect, as if every muscle was working in perfect concert. It was one of those rare times when he stopped existing as a person and simply became the movements. It was like being transformed. It was like the whole world narrowed down to a set of motions, right arm, left arm, weight on the front leg, turning... It didn't happen very often but when it did it was magic. It was why he loved it so much. It was like, for a few minutes at least, he really knew who he was.  
  
He stayed in the final pose for a moment trying to keep hold of that feeling for as long as possible. He began to lose it as he became aware of his breaths coming in hard gasps, and he felt the mud beginning to squish up through his toes. He finally straightened and took a deep breath, shaking out his arms and enjoying the feeling of having accomplished something. As he started to come down from the high he began to feel overheated despite the cold air burning his lungs. Taking a long swig of water he considered dunking his head in the stream. He'd need to wash off the sweat and mud on his feet anyway. Best get a towel first.  
  
Kyou scraped off the most mud he could off the soles of his feet and tiptoed into the little house. Tooru was a large lump under the blankets. He'd almost picked up a towel when a stifled sob perked his ears. Had he heard what he thought he'd heard? He turned back to the lump on the pallet. Now that he looked he could see that it was shaking, just a little bit.   
  
"Oy!" Kyou looked towards the door in a panic. Yuki was long out of sight and calling distance. Was he supposed to deal with this on his own? He took a tentative step towards the girl. "Oy!" Her only response was to huddle up tighter under the blankets. Steeling himself, he took the few steps to the bed and squatted down. The bundle of blankets shook a little, but there was very little noise escaping from it. What had brought this on? She'd seemed fine this morning! Tooru wasn't the type who usually broke down in tears for no reason. Kyou could think of only a couple of times that she'd cried...when they come to take her home, when she'd been alone on new years, that time she'd been ill, that night by the fire. But there wasn't any reason for her to cry now. "Hey!" Unsure what to do Kyou poked experimentally at the lump. Snuffling pitifully, Tooru lowered the blankets and peeped over them with an agonized look through tousled messy hair. Maybe she wasn't crying because she was sad, but because she was hurt? "D-do you have a pain somewhere?"  
  
Though her chest felt tight and her throat raw, Tooru shook her head. She hadn't wanted to bother Kyou.  
  
"What...then...Why are you crying?"  
  
Tooru opened her mouth then shut it. She didn't know how to explain. How could she say it? That she had seen how Yuki looked so...She didn't even know how to describe it. She could say how jumbled up and confused she felt inside. There weren't words. "I don't know!" it came out in a strange petulant voice that shocked her and Kyou both.  
  
"Then stop!" Kyou said exasperatedly. "Don't do nonsensical things like crying for no reason!"  
  
"Okay..." Tooru sniffed, and sat up a little rubbing her eyes.   
  
Just like that? Kyou looked at her with a bemused look on his face. "Don't do that! I hate it when you do that!" Tooru blinked at him in confusion, her long lashes damp with tears and her breath still coming in quick gasps. Kyou narrowed his eyes, "Just because I tell you do to do something doesn't mean you have to do it! It wasn't an order or anything."  
  
Bewildered, Tooru continued to stare at him. As he watched her big brown eyes began to fill with tears and they began spilling down her cheeks. Kyou frowned. "No, don't... I didn't mean for you to start again..." Tooru hid her face in her hands, and her shoulders shook. She looked so helpless. Sighing Kyou felt all the anger wash out of him, staring into the crown of her head he spoke hesitantly. "I just meant, do what you want." She kept her head bowed and without stopping to think about it Kyou laid his hand atop her head. Tooru stilled but didn't look up. "I mean, if you want to cry, that's ok. Even if its for no reason and doesn't make any sense, it's ok." Tooru lifted her head a little, and his hand slid automatically to the side and his fingers ran through her hair. Lifting a handful of it and looking at it instead of her he played with it between his fingers. "Do what's best for you. Getting happy and healthy, accomplishing that is the most important thing."  
  
"I'm sorry." Tooru snuffled, feeling foolish and warmed. "I'm sorry I'm weak and silly." She put her hand on Kyou's hand playing with her hair, making him look up at her in surprise. "I'm sorry for getting sick and making Kyou-kun worry."   
  
"I wasn't worried!" Kyou looked away from her quickly dropping her hair. His burning ears giving him away, "The sound was just irritating me is all." He looked back at her, "And it's not your fault you got sick. It just happens because you have no stamina and are totally weak."   
  
"Right." Tooru said happily wiping almost forgotten tears away.   
  
"You should train your body and get stronger." Kyou was just let his mouth run, his mind still trying to catch up on the emotional roller coaster Tooru had put him through. Crying, not crying, crying for no reason, she just didn't make any sense.  
  
"Train?" Kyou glanced at her out of the corner of his eye and was surprised to see her looking speculative. "Could Kyou-kun teach me?"  
  
"Teach you what? How to do martial arts?" Kyou looked at her his jaw dropping.  
  
"Yes!" Tooru hadn't thought of it before. She always wanted to understand Kyou better. She'd read books on the fighting spirit of martial arts, and she'd watched Kyou practice plenty of times. She loved to hear him talk about learning with his master. Having him teach her would let her see and understand more about him. But, Kyou didn't look very sure. Rapidly she began to talk, "I know I'm clumsy and no good at things like that but I'd really like to try. If Kyou-kun were my teacher I'd try really hard. I wouldn't fall down or if I did I'd get right up. I wouldn't be a bother at all!" Tooru blinked, a bother? Oh no, she didn't want to impose on him; she knew how much he liked his time alone. "But if I am a bother, Kyou-kun doesn't have to. Don't feel obligated, I just wanted to know more about what Kyou-kun likes so much! And I want to get stronger and not have to be such a burden anymore."   
  
"I-I'm not really skilled enough to be a teacher..." Kyou stammered, "I haven't even beaten the damn mouse yet." Kyou prepared to tell her all the hundreds of reasons why he couldn't be her teacher. Tooru was looking at him with big eager pleading eyes. "But, uh..." She watched him attentively waiting for his next words like a puppy for a scrap of food. Will she start crying again if I say no? "But if you want to, ok."   
  
Tooru leaned forward eagerly, putting her hands flat against the floor she gave a formal deep bow, "Sensei, thank you!"  
  
Kyou gave her a light knock against the head, "Don't be stupid." Standing up he, looked down at Tooru sitting in the jumble of blankets. "Get some more rest, we'll start when you're feeling better."   
  
* * *  
  
Yuki walked through the forest vaguely noting which way he was going. He didn't have to worry about getting lost, his little friends would show him the way home. He was enjoying the solitude. The little shack seemed to get closer and smaller with every passing day. He paused for a moment and a mouse ran up to him and placed a nut by his foot. Picking up the acorn he made a show of considering it. "I'm sorry." He said to the little mouse, "but I don't think even Honda-san would know what to do with this. If you find any beechnuts or walnuts that would be good." It was the wrong time of year for nuts, but the mouse might have a store or a cache. It didn't hurt to ask. He knew the animal didn't quite understand what he was talking about. It probably didn't understand words like "beechnut" or "walnut". It probably was just able to get the impression "nuts good, but not this nut." But it seemed to help when he spoke to them and gave them encouragement. In a way he reflected as he watched mice dart in and out of view, it wasn't unlike planning and heading up school events. Again it was he who had all the initiative and had to plan out all the details. The others just ran around where he directed them, but seemed to work better if he praised them. He wondered how their class was getting along without him.  
  
A little squeak drew his attention. "Something to show me?" he asked rhetorically as he followed it into an underbrush. It ran to join some other mice that were digging furiously at the dirt. Sensing his presence they stepped back to let him see. "Yams!" Yuki exclaimed happily. He helped the eager mice to unearth them. There were four fat yams in the patch. They were a little shriveled and dry from being in the earth all winter long but they were plenty big. There's enough for each of us and one left over for Honda-san to do something with. He added it to some hawthorn berries and some early cabbage the mice had found earlier. He'd made sure to see the bush the red berries had been pulled from since there are so many varieties of deadly red berries. It was still too early in spring to find many berries or fruits. He'd gotten lucky on the cabbage and noted where it came from so he could come back when it was fully-grown. The plants were just beginning to bloom. He'd picked some dandelions greens as well. Before they bloomed they made a nice salad. He held the hem of his coat out before him like a woman with an apron, the load was getting a bit much to carry in an arm.   
  
Speaking to the mice he said, "I think it best we go up to the hot spring now. Once we get a towel it will be easier to carry things in." As he followed the mice leading him to the spring Yuki realized he was feeling absurdly pleased with himself. For once in his life he actually felt useful. He knew that the people in school appreciated his help, and he had often felt satisfied with the work he did on the student council, but this was different. He was helping them all to survive. The garden at home had been a hobby. It had been nice to nurture and grow things, but when a plant didn't thrive it hadn't really mattered. Now his skill and knowledge of plants was really being depended on. Honda-san and Kyou...without him they'd starve!  
  
His euphoria suddenly faded and he looked at the "bounty" in his jacket. An undersized head of lettuce, some weeds, berries and four shriveled sprouting yams. As if sensing his sudden drop in mood the mice around him crowded close, bumping up against his feet and squeaking anxiously. He concentrated a moment on not stepping on any of them as they broke into the clearing that held the little springs.   
  
The truth was, he realized, even with him they were going hungry. He thought of Tooru flushed and feverish and already looking so thin. No wonder she got sick. They'd been eating nothing but rice, tea and what meager veggies and fish he and Kyou had been able to find. While both he and Kyou had made sure that Tooru had slightly larger portions then themselves (sometimes surreptitiously sneaking food from their own servings to hers) they all had gone to bed more than once feeling less than full. "Even with all my help we're starving," Yuki whispered. He sat down on a rock and felt sorry for himself. The mice ran around the glade, picking up and heaving towels towards him in teams.  
  
A squeak at his foot caught his attention. A little mouse laid a nut at his foot. Yuki picked it up, "A walnut." Yuki smiled at the mouse; was it the same one from before? He couldn't tell, "Thank you, this will do nicely." The mouse squeaked happily and ran off to find more treasures for him. That's what I'm like, he realized. I present something to Honda-san and she praises me. He never stopped to think about how useful or practical his accomplishments were. But she smiled and she thanked him. And he felt useful and good. He looked at the walnut in his palm. How many times had she looked at what he'd given her here and think, "What am I going to do with this?" Yuki felt, not for the first time, incredibly selfish. We can't stay here much longer. He had known it before, but this was the first time he really understood it. They couldn't stay here.  
  
Excited movement over by the bottom spring caught his eye. The mice had gathered up all the towels into a heap and were trying to figure out how to get the clothes out from underneath the little waterfall. A couple of them had wandered into the water a little ways and were looking like they might attempt to swim across. Yuki knew the sodden clothes would drag them straight to the bottom if they tried that. "Wait! I'll get those myself." He walked to the side and leaned in. Snagging the clothes with just the tips of his fingers he managed to pull them free and to where he could easily grab them. Wringing them out briskly he wrapped them in a towel. He wrapped the foodstuffs in another and folded the rest up inside a third. He looked longingly for a moment at the hot spring. He'd love to soak for a while, but it wouldn't be fair to the others waiting at home in the cold shack. It was a pity. The springs were just a little too far away to be used for everyday washing. By the time they got up here, half the morning would be wasted and by the time they got down, they'd be sweaty and dirty again.  
  
His lips curled into a smile without him noticing it. But it had been nice, hadn't it? It had been very nice. Perhaps...they could all come back up here again, when Honda-san was better. They could make a treat out of it. Honda-san would pack a picnic for them and they could relax for a day. Before it got too much warmer, they would have to do it.  
  
Yuki shook his head, he was forgetting already. They could not stay here. Frowning he picked up his packages. "Lets go," He watched the mice stream out in front of him. He didn't look back at the inviting glade. He kept his gaze forward and concentrated on keeping the still sodden towels away from his body. Suddenly all the mice seemed to be jumping up and down and trying to get his attention. Puzzled he followed the stream of mice as they broke from the path and into the brush. After fighting through the weeds and bushes he saw what had them so excited. It was a huge strawberry patch, bigger than the one he'd found before. He spread out a towel and began harvesting the berries. Perfect! Roast yams for dinner and strawberries for dessert! Tonight at least, he thought, we won't go hungry. Tonight at least, when Honda-san praises me, I'll have deserved it. I'll just have to try harder tomorrow, he resolved, so that I earn it then too. Someday, I'll catch up to her. Someday, I'll deserve her.  
  
* * *  
  
Tooru was sleeping again when Yuki got back to the shack. He was a little disappointed he couldn't immediately show her all that he found, especially the strawberries. It was best that she slept and regained her strength he told himself firmly. He laid out the yams, hawthorn berries and veggies on the table where she would see them. After a moment he decided to keep the strawberries a surprise and hid them among their belongings in the back corner. Yuki glanced around the clearing around the shack as he stepped outside. Kyou was nowhere to be seen. Frowning he unwrapped the damp towels and sodden clothes. Wringing them out again he hung them to dry on the trees behind the cabin. He held up his torn shirt ruefully. Silk really did not hold up well here. None of his clothes were really practical for this environment. Well, he reminded himself, it wasn't as if all this had been planned.  
  
"Oy!" Yuki turned around in surprise to see Kyou coming towards him with a big grin on his face. "Look what I caught!"   
  
Kyou proudly held up his catch by the gills, a large salmon. The biggest one he'd caught so far. He'd planned to show it to Tooru first, but he could show it off to the mouse a bit instead. The red haired boy's chest puffed out as he saw the other boy's eyes widen. Damn mouse thought he was the only one who could bring home the bacon, hmn? Ha! Well tonight they'd have more than soup! Tomorrow too from the size of it, in fact they'd probably have trouble eating it before it went bad it was so big.  
  
Yuki felt vaguely annoyed at Kyou's obvious pride. It was just a stupid fish. Why was he showing the smelly thing to him? "When you clean it make sure you do it away from the cabin." He said coldly, making a point to pass Kyou by a wide margin. "We don't ALL want to smell like fish." He shook his hair out of his eyes and went back into the shack. He was sure Honda-san would be much more impressed with his strawberries than the baka neko's smelly fish.  
  
What the hell? Kyou felt like he'd been dashed with cold water. Again. Kuso Nezumi! Kyou felt the sudden urge to take the fish and whack the stuck up prince in the back of the head with it. Damn prissy snob. Like he would ever be able to do something like catch a fish with no fishing rod. Taking the fish into the wood a ways he found a likely rock and began to butcher it. Wouldn't want to dirty his hands with it, damn girly boy. Priss. Snob. Ass. Wuss. Wimp. Kyou repeated the words to himself over and over as he carefully de-boned and cleaned the fish. It's not like he cared what the damn mouse thought. The bastard. Jerk. Stuck-up. Rod-up-his-ass. It wasn't like he was looking for his approval or anything. He was just so irritating with that "Anything you can do, I can do better" attitude. It wasn't like he wanted to be complimented by him. Asshole. But he could have at least acknowledged that it was a good catch. "I hate that guy," he reminded himself firmly. Tossing the bones and entrails into the woods he gathered up the salmon cuts and walked back to the shack.   
  
To his surprise Tooru was up and moving about when he got back to the shack. He caught her in the act of putting on the teakettle when he stepped through the door.  
  
"What are you doing out of bed?" The girl jumped. Kyou cursed himself, he hadn't meant to sound so mad. "You should be resting." He glanced accusingly at Yuki sitting at the table out of the corner of his eye.  
  
"I'm feeling much better!" Tooru insisted. Then she went pale and her eyes grew wide, "Kyou-kun! Blood!"  
  
Kyou looked down at himself. His shirt was spattered with gore from butchering the fish and his hands were red with it. It was a big ragged splotch on his shirt. He must look disgusting.  
  
Tooru rushed to him. "Are you hurt somewhere?" Her eyes were round with panic and her hands fluttered in the air. She turned to Yuki, "Do we have any antiseptic? Bandages?" She made a move towards the pile of belongings in the corner, then back to Kyou as if she couldn't decide what to do first. "Kyou-kun should be sitting down. Do you need a tourniquet?"   
  
"Honda-san," Yuki said calmingly from his seat. "Calm down, you'll make yourself ill again. Kyou isn't hurt, he just caught a fish."   
  
Kyou tried to keep his lip from curling at the smugness in Yuki's voice. Just a fish? Just the biggest fish he'd ever seen up here.  
  
"A fish?" Tooru blinked and looked again up at Kyou.  
  
"A salmon." Kyou agreed, and held out the fish steaks to her. "A big one."  
  
Tooru clapped her hands together instantly going from panicked to pleased. "Aaah! I love salmon!" She took a bowl and filled it with the fish. She looked up at him admiringly. "This must have been a huge fish Kyou-kun! How did you manage to catch it all by yourself with no rod or anything?"   
  
Kyou opened his mouth to reply but was beaten to it by Yuki. "Have you forgotten Honda-san? Kyou is a cat. He probably caught it with his teeth."   
  
"Kuso nezumi-" Kyou started.  
  
"Baka Neko," Yuki turned away from him pointedly, "you should clean yourself up. You smell."  
  
* * * 


	12. Cloud Cover

Yuki felt irritable all through dinner. Tooru had insisted on making dinner and had fried up the salmon with one of the yams. She'd sliced up the cabbage and mixed it with the berries and dandelion greens to make a salad. Yuki brushed back his hair and ate another piece of salmon. He wished he could have turned his nose up at the fish completely. But Honda-san would have worried, Kyou would have smirked, and he was hungry. Yuki had hardly heard her exclaiming how nice it was to have fresh greens over the unsettling thoughts roiling around in his mind. He wanted to present her with the strawberries but the time never seemed quite right. He wanted to see her surprise, her happiness at them but was unwilling to share the moment with Kyou. He was disgusted at himself. It was wrong of him to deny her the strawberries just because the cat would get to see her smile as well as he. It was incredibly selfish of him. But he just couldn't get himself to reach for the towel hidden in the corner.   
  
Kyou put another piece of fish on Tooru's plate and insisted she eat it. She made a weak protest, but after some cryptic remarks about strength consented to at least try to finish the portion. Yuki narrowed his eyes as he watched the other two interact. Something had gone on today while he'd been out gathering. There was an air between them of something shared, something special. They spoke casually around a subject that seemed just for the two of them to know about. Tooru asked Kyou if they would "start" soon and the flame haired youth would only reply self-importantly with "we'll see". Start what, Yuki wondered. See what? He wanted to ask, but he didn't want to look like he felt left out. He didn't want to look like he didn't know something the cat knew. He didn't want them to know it hurt, not knowing.  
  
After dinner Kyou lounged in the waning light of the sun, idly watching the branches move in the trees. Absentmindedly he twisted and twirled a few strands of his hair between his fingers. For the first time in a while he felt full, content and fulfilled. Not even Yuki's continuing bad mood and cutting remarks from earlier seemed to be able to touch him tonight. Kyou felt a warm bubble of satisfaction in his middle. Tooru had chattered at him all through dinner, silly with excitement over the fish and the prospect of him teaching martial arts. It had been a thoroughly agreeable experience.   
  
"Kyou-kun's hair is getting long!" Kyou looked up to see Tooru lowering herself to sit behind him. She'd wrapped herself in a blanket from the bed and was smiling happily at him. Kyou wondered at the blanket, was she feeling that chilled? The evening was cool, but not that cold. Her color had improved but she still seemed a bit pale.   
  
He'd been staring a bit too long he realized as she looked at him expectantly. "Ah. Un." He ran an experimental hand through his hair and noticed that he had gotten very shaggy. His bangs had persistently gotten in the way of his eyes for a while now. The back had grown long as well, falling over his collar in a rather irritating way. Had they really been there long enough to have it grown so long?  
  
"Are you going to grow it out like Kazuma-san?"   
  
Kyou had an image of himself, just for a minute, with a long ponytail like his Shishou. He couldn't help but laugh at the image. "It wouldn't suit me." He ruffled his bangs again. "I suppose I'll cut it." He peered uncertainly up through his bangs. It wasn't that he was vain or anything, but he'd never cut his own hair before. He wasn't too sure how it would go.  
  
"Would Kyou-kun like me to cut it for him?" Tooru asked innocently.   
  
To his mortification, Kyou felt himself blush. "There wasn't anything wrong with her cutting his hair!" he berated himself. It wasn't any big deal!  
  
"If Kyou-kun doesn't want me too..." Tooru said uncertainly, not sure if she had offended him or not.  
  
"No!" Kyou turned away from her and spoke to the trees outside, "I'd like it if you would."   
  
"I'll get my scissors." Tooru started to rise.  
  
"What? Now?" Kyou whipped around to look at her. Tooru blinked at him and he felt foolish again. "Fine. Let's get it over with. Don't cut too much off."   
  
Yuki watched Tooru settle behind Kyou with a strange feeling growing in his stomach. She draped a towel around the cat's neck and lifted his hair so that it fell above it. The mouse shivered as he watched Tooru's hands almost graze Kyou's skin. The other's body was rigid and he steadfastly stared at the trees outside. The boy's ears were burning and Yuki felt as if his own skin had turned to finely stretched drum skin. Every move Tooru make seemed to resonate inside him.  
  
Tooru took a couple of experimental snips at the hair at his collar. Kyou tried not to shake. He could feel the girl's warmth barely a breath away from his back. Heat seemed to radiate off of her. If he just leaned back a little he'd be resting against her. It took all of his will to keep his back straight. What was it about her that drew him in; that made him want to be next to her? She ran her fingers through his hair and he couldn't stop a shudder running through him. His flesh pimpled and he closed his eyes. He'd never been this physical with another person before. It was just a haircut. He wished he could stay this way forever. A long sigh escaped his body.   
  
Yuki couldn't sit still anymore, but he felt frozen in place. He sat at the table in the back of the shack and watched the sun create shadows out of Kyou and Tooru. He felt as if his throat was constricting. Kyou sat with his legs crossed, his shoulders had slumped and his eyes were closed. Tooru kneeled behind him her head bent studiously to her work as her fingers were busily sorting through his hair. Yuki felt each snip of the scissors. They looked like two puzzle pieces just about to join together. They fit.  
  
Tooru brushed stray hairs off the back of Kyou's neck. She sat back and observed her work. It looked even, and the right length. Kyou was surprisingly still; usually he had too much energy to sit in one position for this long. She sat back and he glanced up at her. There was something unreadable in his eyes and Tooru felt a quick tumble in her stomach. He looked away, but the feeling there lingered between them. Hesitantly she reached out and turned his face back towards her.   
  
His eyes widened and Tooru stammered, "I-I have to do the front."  
  
He swallowed heavily. "Un."  
  
A sudden clatter made them jump apart and Tooru dropped the scissors. They looked to the back of the shack. Yuki stood there looking determinedly at the floorboards. In his haste to rise he'd knocked one of the supports out from the makeshift table and it had fallen lopsided to the floor. He bent quickly to reset the table and pick up the clatter of dishes that had slid to the floor. "I-I'm going to wash the dishes," and escaped the close confines of the shack. He didn't look at either of them once as he walked out.  
  
This wasn't like him. *He* didn't go running off every time he was upset. *He* didn't show any emotion he didn't want to. He'd learned that long ago, hadn't he? Yuki attacked the dishes ferociously. He'd learned long ago how to keep those feelings locked inside. He had to keep those feelings hidden away. He couldn't let her see that side of him. He was the prince. He was-  
  
He froze when Tooru came to sit beside him. She didn't speak at first. She held the pan from supper. Yuki watched out of the corner of his eye as she dipped it into the water and began to wash it. After a moment his hands began moving as well. They worked in silence for a bit, the cold flowing water of the stream puckering their fingers and turning them a matching red.  
  
"Is...Is Yuki-kun not feeling well?" Tooru asked hesitantly, her hands still scrubbing to get the last bits of fried salmon out of the pan.  
  
Yuki's hands paused for a moment then resumed their work. "Ahh...Well...No, I'm just a little tired I think."   
  
Tooru smiled at him gently, "Yuki-kun has been working very hard. Tomorrow you should rest."  
  
"I will." Yuki said shortly. Somehow he couldn't take her smile into his heart like he usually did. He took the bowls and plates and shook them briskly to throw off the excess water.  
  
"Sometimes..." There was something melancholy in Tooru's voice that made him look up, "Sometimes it feels like Yuki-kun is very far away." She gave a little sigh, "When I feel Yuki-kun's concern for me," She blushed a little, "when I see how hard Yuki-kun is working for all of us I wish that I could do something for him. When Yuki-kun goes away, I feel like I can't help him anymore. I know I make too much of difficult feelings sometimes. Maybe it's selfish of me, but I wish I knew where Yuki-kun was when he's so far away. It feels a bit lonely without all of you here." She looked up and caught his gaze. "I'm sorry! I-"  
  
"No, it's alright." Yuki let his hair fall over his eyes, "That Honda-san is here...means a lot." He swallowed thickly. It was like the darkness was just stewing inside him. If he let her keep talking it would all boil out, all the bile, all the dark, sharp painful things. She would never look at him again the way she was looking at him now.  
  
"If it would help...for Yuki-kun to share what he's thinking..." Tooru said hesitantly. Sometimes she got the feeling that Yuki's heart was so tender that just by trying to touch it she would hurt him further. "When Yuki-kun shares his feelings...good or bad...it makes me happy to know we are getting closer..."  
  
Yuki stood. Closer. "Un." He shook an image of Tooru and Kyou sitting close together with just a sliver of light between them. He turned back towards the shack, dripping dishes in his hands. He felt sick for running away, again. But he couldn't let her pull those dark thoughts into her light. He kept his face averted. "I just feel a bit pathetic, making Honda-san worry." He did his best to smile for her. "Honda-san should concentrate on getting healthy and strong."  
  
Tooru leapt to her feet, "Yes! I'll try my best!"  
  
Yuki walked back to clearing and Tooru followed him slowly. She felt useless and weak. Yuki was so obviously suffering and she couldn't seem to do anything for him. The only reason he was here was because of her.   
  
Kyou sat in the tree and watched the two walk back towards the little cabin with narrowed eyes. After Yuki had left the shack the easy atmosphere between he and Tooru had been shattered. As she'd quickly finished up his haircut he could see that her thoughts were on Yuki and his strange departure. Damn rat. Didn't understand how these self-indulgent fits did to her? Every time he was feeling mopey she'd get sick with worry. She shouldn't be burdened with his bad mood when she was ill. He'd pretended not to care when she finally took up the dirty pan from the hearth and followed the mouse to the stream. He acknowledged Tooru's wave as they came back into the clearing but stayed up in the tree. He was too angry right now to face her.   
  
Tooru frowned to herself as she followed Yuki into the cabin. Kyou had barely even glanced at her from up in his tree. Was he upset with her too? "Mother," she thought sorrowfully, "Yuki and Kyou...they are both working so hard, and I'm being such a burden. I don't know how to put them at ease." She thought longingly of the hot spring and that wonderful feeling of connection they'd had up there. When they'd been washing away their dirt, scrapes and hurts away they'd managed, for a short while at least, to wash everything else away too. It had been such a fantastically fresh feeling. She held the memory of it close in her heart. "Mother..." She prayed, "Please help me to keep that safe."  
  
***  
  
It was fully dark outside before Kyou finally crept back inside the little dwelling. The fire was low, and the little lantern was out for the night. Yuki and Tooru had retired to bed long before. Neither had been particularly tired, but when the sun when down there was little else to do. The slight boy had deftly maneuvered around Tooru's clumsy attempts to draw him into a conversation. He'd finally pleaded overtiredness and crawled beneath the blankets. The girl had finally given up and when the light had gotten too bad to continue doing mending by she too had retired. Yuki lay stiffly staring at the wall, he was careful not to move as Tooru lifted the blankets to join him. He was concerned at how quickly she seemed to drift off to sleep. She'd been napping on and off all day. Was she still so weak that she needed so much extra sleep? He fretted about it as he drifted off to sleep.  
  
Kyou slipped between the blankets careful not to wake the others. He hadn't been able to make himself come back into the shack earlier for fear of what he might accidentally say to Tooru or what he might find himself trying to do to Yuki. He'd looked down wordlessly at the pair under the blankets. He ought to feel reassured that they had drifted to sleep facing away from each other. But instead Kyou felt the tension between his shoulder blades increase.   
  
He closed his eyes and tried to meditate like his Shishou had taught him. He really wanted to be outside, somewhere up high. But it was so dark outside he'd been afraid that he'd hurt himself trying to return. Clouds had completely covered the moon and stars and they were so far from any city there was practically no ambient light. Even with his cat eyes the night could be dangerous. One slip and he'd be out of commission. They couldn't afford that.  
  
He opened his eyes and found himself studying Tooru's sleeping face. Even in sleep worries seemed to plague her. Her brow was furrowed and a slight crease to her lips made her almost seem to be frowning. Kuso Nezumi...It was his fault that she was fussing. A strand of her hair had fallen over her face. He carefully brushed it aside and frowned. Tooru just didn't look healthy. He resolved to make sure that she took it easy tomorrow before he finally succumbed to sleep. He'd barely finished the promise to himself when he found himself asleep.  
  
"Of course..." the voice whispered and Kyou felt the hair on the back of his neck rise, "I know that you're perfect..."  
  
He spun around trying to find the voice in the sudden darkness. Where was he? He couldn't see anything. It was like he was lost in a void. He felt a rising panic starting to overwhelm him.  
  
"The other mothers...they just can't see that...they don't know." The voice seemed to come from everywhere at once. Kyou ran not sure if he was trying to find the source of it or trying to escape from it. "So I won't share you with them. That's why I keep you here."  
  
Kyou clutched his head; trying to drive that awful voice away.   
  
"They just don't understand."  
  
"It's not your fault...."  
  
It just wouldn't go away. Kyou fell to his knees.  
  
"...you can't help when you were born..."  
  
He jumped up. Kyou knew what was coming now, "NO! Stop! Just, just shut UP!"  
  
"...It's not your fault that you're cursed so horribly..."  
  
"Shut up! SHUT UP!" Kyou pleaded and started running again. "Shut up! You're dead! Just shut up!"  
  
"I love you anyway."  
  
"*No*," Kyou moaned, feeling his gorge rise in the back of his throat. "You're dead."  
  
"Mommy...Mommy knows the *truth*, you see..."  
  
Phantom hands caressed the sides of his face and his felt his skin ripple in revulsion.  
  
"...if only it wasn't for that other little boy..."  
  
"...if it wasn't for him..."  
  
"...if it wasn't for Yuki..."  
  
Kyou spun and suddenly found himself face to face with his mother. She stepped back as if surprised that he could see her. She held her hands up as if she didn't know what to do with them now that they couldn't be touching him. Her face split into a desperate mad grin and she seemed not to be speaking to him but to the void around him.  
  
"...then they'd all see..." She held her arms out, as if she might come forward any moment to embrace him. "...they'd all see how it really is..." The mere thought made him start to step back from her. "Then they'd all *understand*..." It backfired, as his movement seemed to draw her attention. "It's not your fault." Her roving eyes seemed to focus on him.  
  
There was blood. There were great pools of it gathering around her. Kyou looked at her wrists in horrified fascination. It ran in rivulets down her arms to drip in streams off her elbows.  
  
"It's not your fault." She took a shuffling step towards him.  
  
"It's not your fault." She smiled hugely; her teeth were stained with blood from where she had bitten through her tongue. It didn't stop her from speaking.  
  
"It's not your fault." Her arms widened and blood ran in rivers over her clothes.  
  
"It's not your fault. It's not your fault. It's not your fault. 'S-not-your-fault-'S-not-your-fault-'Snot-your-fault-'S-"  
  
"SHUT UP! SHUT UP!" Kyou shouted backing away from her.  
  
"Not-your-fault-Not-your-fault-Not-" Her voice had become a mad singsong and she spun in place her head thrown back. She raised her arms as in supplication. "Your-fault-Your-fault-Your-fault-Your-Fault-" There was blood everywhere.  
  
"STOP IT! STOP IT!" Kyou shouted, "I'll kill Yuki, then I'll kill myself!" He was again a little boy just like so long ago. He had to make her stop. "I'll kill Yuki, then I'll kill myself! Will that make you happy?!"   
  
She reached for him. "My darling precious boy..." Her fingers were coated with blood.  
  
"No, don't touch me!"  
  
Kyou launched himself awake. He sat up in panic. He was drenched in sweat. He couldn't see anything. It was too dark. Where was he? He heard a flutter and turned towards the doorway. He saw a glimmer of the moon outside and scrambled towards it. He pushed aside the blanket and let the cold mountain night air rush over him. He breathed deep and realized that he was gasping and trembling. He looked around the clearing in the patches of moonlight and remembered where he was. He was up on the mountain, at his place, with Tooru and Yuki. It had been a dream. It was just a dream.   
  
He leaned against the doorframe and slid down bonelessly. It was just a dream. He tried to calm his breathing. It's not as if he hadn't had that dream before. He wished his pulse would stop racing. He rested his forehead on his drawn up knees and ran his hands through his sweat soaked hair.   
  
"Kyou-kun?" The boy looked up in panic.   
  
Tooru stepped back hesitantly. Kyou's eyes glowed white in the moonlight as it blinked in and out of the clouds. She'd never seen him look so scared. She huddled deeper in the blanket she'd wrapped around herself but forced her feet to move closer to him. She kneeled next to him and put her hand on his knee. "Did you have a bad dream?"  
  
Kyou blew out an exasperated breath and closed his eyes. Not trusting what his voice would sound like he just nodded. He looked up when he felt Tooru's hand leave his knee. She walked over to the fire and picked up the jug of boiled water they kept for cooking.   
  
"When I was little," She smiled and said in a loud whisper as she filled the teakettle, "and I would wake up from a bad dream, Mother would make me tea and tell me a story while the tea brewed."  
  
Kyou looked wordlessly back at her. Somehow he didn't think Tooru had ever woken up from a dream like the one he'd had when she was little.   
  
Tooru blinked at Kyou then smiled again. The fire was low and it would take a while for the water to boil. She sat next to him and held up a finger, "Tell me what story you want to hear and I'll tell it. Just one story! That's the rule."  
  
A story? Kyou just stared at her. She was going to tell him a story? It was just too absurd.  
  
"Better hurry!" Tooru wagged her finger at him cheerily. "The kettle will whistle soon, time is running out. What story does Kyou-kun want to hear?"  
  
He couldn't just look in those eyes and not answer. But what story? He blurted out the first one that came to mind, "Tom Thumb."  
  
Tooru cocked her head to the side. "Ok." She settled herself into a classic storyteller's pose. She sat in a kneeling position with the blanket around her shoulders like a cape. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She let out the breath and slowly opened her eyes to regard Kyou. He stared back at her in fascination. "Once upon a time," she started, "there was a married couple." She spoke in slow measured tones, like someone reading from a book they know well. "Though they prayed to God for years, they remained childless..."  
  
Kyou rested his head on his knees again and his eyes went half-shut as he listened. He still felt raw and full of nerves, but Tooru's voice was soothing and just having her near always helped to calm him.  
  
"Every night the husband would say as his wife spun at her wheel and he sat by the fire, 'How dull it is without any children; our house is so quiet, and other people's houses so noisy and merry.'" The teakettle whistled and Tooru jumped up to answer its call while keeping the rhythm of the story. "His wife sighed, 'Yes, if only we could have one. I wouldn't care even if he was little, no bigger than my thumb.' Perhaps God was listening to her for shortly afterwards she gave birth to a child. He was perfect in all ways, but no bigger than a thumb." Tooru walked back over to Kyou and handed him the tea and settled herself back down.  
  
A soft rustling in the bed by the hearth went ignored. Yuki watched the pair through slit eyes. He tried to keep his breathing even and regular so they wouldn't know that he was awake. He'd woken when the teakettle whistled and he saw Tooru and Kyou. Kyou looked ragged and had an edge of panic to him that Yuki couldn't remember seeing on him before. He kept silent, willing to watch and wait to see what was going on.  
  
Tooru sipped her tea and continued her story, "And the parents named him Tom Thumb due to his stature and said, 'He is just what we wished for, and we love him very much.'" She was about to speak again when Kyou set down the tea and turned his head to look out the doorway.  
  
"Liars."  
  
Tooru paused with her teacup halfway up to her lips. "Eh?"  
  
"They would have cared." Kyou kept his face turned away. "They wouldn't have loved him as if he was just like everyone else." His shoulders hunched and he seemed to close in on himself even more.  
  
Tooru felt her stomach drop.  
  
'Mothers who have children cursed by the spirits...They either become unnecessarily overprotective...'  
  
Yuki closed his eyes and that woman's, his mother's, face came to mind, 'What if you are just a tool?' the phantom whispered. He banished the image and watched Tooru lower her teacup to the floor.  
  
'...or they refuse to accept them as their child.' Momiji's sad whisper chased through Tooru's memory. They reject them. She reached out and covered Kyou's hand on his knee.  
  
Kyou stopped breathing for a moment, but didn't turn to look at her.  
  
"I-I'm sure that Tom's parents loved him very much." Tooru felt tears pricking in her eyes and prayed to her mother to be strong. "Every little girl dreams of the day that they will be a mother." She swallowed back the sadness when she thought of growing up without knowing how much her mother loved and cared for her. "Mother said..." She paused, choosing her words carefully, "Mother said that every woman has a dream in her heart of the child she will someday have. Some name them and picture what they will look like. Will they have eyes like theirs? Will they be right-handed or left-handed? When you finally become pregnant, the dream goes further. You start to dream about what they will be like. Athletic, smart, gentle, rough...what will they be like as they grow? It's like living your own childhood again. You become full of dreams of what they could become. A doctor, a star, a musician...so many possibilities." Tooru paused; she'd shifted and was facing Kyou directly. She placed her other hand over Kyou's and rested her forehead against them.   
  
Kyou shivered, resisting the temptation to turn his head so that it was resting against hers. The urge to get closer to her had never been so strong. He didn't have any right to be close to her.  
  
Tooru began speaking again, and Kyou let his thoughts hush. "Then comes the day when the child arrives." She spoke into her hands clasped tightly over Kyou's. She could feel the beads of his bracelet digging into her hands. She knew something horrible had happened to Kyou's mother. He'd never really said...but things he'd let drop, things he talked around, things others had mentioned...it couldn't have been good. "And the child you've been dreaming about all that time...dies." She cried inside at the thought of Kyou being alone as a child. How could anyone not see what a precious person he was? How precious they all were? "That's why...that's why, a lot of times a mother is sad after her child is born. She's grieving for the child she lost." Tooru couldn't help the tears that trickled out of the corner of her eyes. "Mother said..." Tooru sniffled but continued on, "Mother said that sometimes...even after the child is born that some parents can't let go of that dream-child. It lives like a ghost between them and understanding the child-that-is. It blocks them from seeing all the wonderful things about their child."  
  
He heard a rustle and saw that Yuki was awake and leaning against the wall near the bed. How long had he been listening? Yuki met his gaze for a moment then looked to the floorboards. The pain there was unmistakable and Kyou felt a jolt of understanding. Did it matter really how long the mouse had been awake? It wasn't as if he didn't know...what it was like. Yuki...Kisa...Momiji...there was no member of the Juuninshi who didn't understand what it was like.  
  
She lifted her watery eyes to Kyou's. "But, the thing to remember is..." She smiled, "The love, it's still there. The love and dreams they had for the dream-child are the love and dreams they have for the child-that-is. So...so...I'm sure that Tom's parents loved him and dreamed about his future!"  
  
Kyou's tightened his hand into a fist under her hands; it was hard to speak around the lump in his throat. "You say the stupidest things." It sounded rougher and more hurtful then he had meant it to. He groped for something else to say. "What do their dreams matter?"   
  
"Mother said that children make their own future...despite their parents not because of them." Tooru laid her cheek against their joined hands. She peered up at him through a fall of hair. "I...I guess that means their dreams don't really matter..." She straightened and shook her head fiercely. "No. That's not right. Their dreams do matter. When a parent dreams for their child they are putting all of their heart into a hope for their child. It teaches the child how to hope. Don't you have any hope for the future Kyou?"  
  
Kyou finally felt like he was on firmer footing. "Of course! I know that I'll someday beat Yuki! That's my goal." Unnoticed on the bed Yuki clenched his hand into a fist. Was that all the stupid cat thought of? Beating him?  
  
Tooru lifted her head and smiled. "Of course. And then?"  
  
Kyou blinked at the girl, nonplussed. "And then...what?"  
  
"What will Kyou do after he defeats Yuki?"  
  
Unbidden his own voice repeated back at him from the dream. 'I'll kill Yuki, then I'll kill myself!' Kyou scrambled for something to say. Yuki held his breath. Of course, the cat would never beat him...but what did he think would happen when he did?  
  
"I'll finally be accepted. They'll all see..." Kyou's words were cut off as he heard the faint, desperate edge underneath. He sounded just like-  
  
'...then they'd all see...then they'd all *understand*...'  
  
No! He wasn't anything like her! Kyou shook his head to clear his thoughts.   
  
"S-stupid." Kyou stammered. "I thought you where supposed to be telling me a story." But he squeezed her clasped hands with his free one and sat up against the doorframe.  
  
Tooru sat up straight bringing her hands to her face, "Aaah!" the blanket slipped off her shoulder. "Yes! Right! Where was I?"   
  
Kyou made a big show of stretching and yawning. "It's fine. I think I'm ready to go back to bed." He glanced at Tooru and was surprised to find her looking melancholy. "What?"  
  
She shook her head, "It's just...after the story Mother used to surprise me with a treat. Mother said that sweets give sweet dreams. But we don't have anything."  
  
"I've got something."  
  
Tooru watched Yuki get up and walk to the back corner in surprise. She hadn't even realized that he was awake. Kyou shuddered. That damn rat had been listening. How could he have forgotten he was there? He frowned to himself. It wasn't as if he had anything to be ashamed of. It wasn't as if he said anything he hadn't said hundreds of times before. Kyou went white as he realized he had said it hundreds of times. He watched Yuki dig in the pile in the corner and felt like the world had opened up to swallow him whole. What would happen if his life continued as it was? Would he end up saying those words another thousand times? A million?  
  
Yuki found what he had been looking for. He pulled out a towel and walked over. He unwrapped it in the dim light and revealed the prize he had been saving.   
  
"Strawberries!" Tooru clapped her hands happily.  
  
Kyou shot Yuki a look. The gray-haired boy's shoulders rose a little defensively, "I-I was saving them..." Which was true enough, Yuki thought to himself, "...for breakfast." Which perhaps was not so true. Kyou let it pass. He let Tooru select first and then took a large strawberry for himself. Yuki spread out the towel in the center of the loose circle they made in the doorway.   
  
Kyou met his eyes for a moment. Why had he allowed the fight to go on for so long? Kyou always fought to win, to destroy the mouse. Why hadn't Yuki retaliated the same way? The teen tensed as the contact between them lengthened. Kyou might not be happy with the fact, but he knew that Yuki was stronger than him. There had been times in the past when the mouse had been much stronger than him. He'd still been stupid enough to try to attack the prince. Every time the mouse had just knocked him back and left him. If he'd wanted to he could have beaten Kyou so badly that he wouldn't have been able to think about fighting him again. Why hadn't he?  
  
Yuki felt uncomfortable under Kyou's regard but refused to be the first one to drop his gaze. He didn't know what to make of the emotions racing and chasing themselves behind the cat's eyes. He didn't understand the desperateness behind the other's tired declaration of war. Something had spooked the cat; he could see it. What had Tooru been talking about parents for? Yuki had encountered Kyou's mother a few times. It had been obvious to him even back then, when he was so young, that there was something deeply wrong with the woman. His mind flashed back to Akito's cold hand on the back of his neck, and Kyou's mothers' white-knuckled grip on the young boy's arm.  
  
He broke the contact with Kyou and blindly reached for a strawberry. What was the use of thinking about it? They all had demons from their past. It didn't give him any excuse to act the way he did. Saying such stupid things all the time like he did. He bit into it fiercely and looked up.  
  
Tooru smiled happily into space as she sucked on a strawberry, savoring its tart juices. Her mouth was stained with red, making it look like she put on a bright lipstick. She caught his gaze and beamed at him. Kyou reached for another strawberry and she turned to smile at him. The angry lines of his face softened and Yuki wondered what transformation his own face made when he looked at the girl.  
  
"You..." Kyou found himself smiling, "You're a mess."  
  
"Eh?" Tooru paused in the act of popping another strawberry in her mouth.  
  
"Why does Honda-san like strawberries so much?"   
  
Tooru turned to Yuki and tried to talk and swallow at the same time. She choked and both Kyou and Yuki rushed forward to pound her on the back.  
  
When she was capable of speech again, she smiled and said. "Because strawberries are yummy."  
  
Yuki and Kyou looked at each other wordlessly.   
  
"Ah." Yuki said helplessly.  
  
"That's it?" Kyou said.  
  
Tooru blinked at him and looked at the strawberry in her hand. "And the flowers are pretty!" She smiled.  
  
Kyou and Yuki exchanged another sweat-dropped glance. "I suppose I thought there would be more to it." Yuki commented and ate another strawberry.  
  
"Like, 'Mother always said....'" Kyou frowned, "I don't know, something about strawberries." He regarded the strawberry in his hand as if it disappointed him.  
  
Tooru looked up at him in confusion. "Mother always said that strawberries are tasty."  
  
"Well, that's true enough." Yuki said and shook out the towel, now freed of all its cargo.  
  
Tooru tried to hide a yawn and Kyou looked down at her.  
  
"So what now?" he asked.  
  
"Now?" Tooru repeated, sleepily rubbing her eyes.   
  
"When you woke up with a bad dream, your mother would make you tea, tell you a story, then surprise you with a treat...then what?" Kyou found himself thinking that he'd never seen anything as cute as a sleepy Tooru.   
  
Yuki folded up the towel as he waited for Tooru's response. So that is what had started all this. He wondered what Kyou could have been dreaming of that had gotten him so panicked.   
  
Tooru pointed up a finger and closed her eyes in a happy smile. "Then it was off to bed and Mother would hold my hand until I fell asleep."  
  
Kyou stood and offered Tooru a hand up. Tooru accepted it and wasn't surprised when he didn't release her hand when she was up. Turning to Yuki she offered her other hand. He smiled and accepted it gracefully. They walked in a chain over to the bed, and things got a little complicated as they tried to lie down without unlinking their hands. (Easier for the boys who at least had one free hand each.) Once they'd managed it, they started to drift off to sleep feeling heavy limbed and contented.   
  
Exhausted with bellies full of strawberries, they found it hard to think. The warmth beneath the blankets seeped into them. They were all close and Tooru could feel the boys' strawberry scented breath on her neck. She clutched their hands tight for a moment and felt herself drift. Gradually their breathing all slowed to match each other's, and their eyelids began to droop. They were starting to get that wonderful feeling back. That warmth that had begun that night by the fire when they'd found Tooru crying, that had come back at the hot spring, and now again in a strawberry scented haze under the blankets. She fell asleep silently thanking her mother for helping her to know what to do.  
  
Yuki felt her hand slacken in his and brought his other hand up to cover it. He drew it close and ducked it under his chin possessively. He loved this connection, this casual physicality. He didn't ever want to let it go. He glanced across the bed and saw Kyou in a fascinated examination of Tooru's berry stained fingers in his. Her fingers were long and perfect, with nails short from use. He twined his fingers through hers; squeezed and thrilled at how even in her sleep she responded and squeezed back. He cast fleeting look over Tooru's form at Yuki and saw him watching. Languid and lethargic with the heat flowing between them he couldn't find it in him to glare or bristle. Instead he gave a wry smirk as if to say "how did this happen" and felt his eyes drift shut. Yuki sighed heavily, not daring to examine the situation any further lest he destroy it, knowing that neither he nor the cat deserved this, and fell asleep himself.  
  
In her sleep, Tooru laughed and both boys smiled in response.   
  
* * *  
  
The next morning Kyou woke up from a different kind of dream entirely. This dream involved long, silky brown hair and golden exposed skin. Like the dream the night before it also caused him to wake up gasping. He blinked a few times and realized that he had a problem. He closed his eyes and tried to slow his breathing. It would go away in a minute.   
  
He opened his eyes and found himself staring at Tooru. Neither boy had released her hands as they slept and it had forced her to conform to their sleeping poses. It had evidently caused her to shift a bit, and her nightclothes were in disarray. A blanket no longer covered her. (He guilty realized that he now had two.) She had slid down off of her pillow but her nightshirt had gotten caught beneath her leaving the stretch of her stomach bare. If she had slid just a little farther, he'd be seeing things...well things that he'd already seen once but hadn't really gotten a good look at. He guilty moved his gaze away from what he could almost see, but couldn't take his eyes entirely off of her. He followed the line of her ribs down to her stomach and focused on her belly button. She was an innie. He stared at the little dip and pretended that he didn't notice that her pajama bottoms seemed to have gotten looser since she'd been ill. She must have lost weight. They almost looked like they were going to fall off...  
  
His problem wasn't going away. He sighed and carefully rolled onto his back. He'd just think about something else. Baseball. Math Equations. Yuki-in-a-dress. He grimaced as he realized the last didn't help at all. It was disgusting the way that guy looked so natural in a dress. He closed his eyes and tried to mentally go through his morning workout. That was working.  
Tooru made a little noise and shifted. Kyou's eyes flew open and he looked at her in panic. Her eyes fluttered open and she smiled at him sleepily and gently unlinked her fingers from his to rub her eyes.  
  
"Good morning Kyou-kun." She yawned.  
  
Kyou flipped on his side away from her. He couldn't help the pained grunt as parts of him protested the movement. "'Morn..ing." he managed.  
  
Tooru started to lever herself up to look at him over the blockade of his shoulder. "Are you alright?" She touched him lightly on the shoulder.  
  
Throwing the blankets aside he hobbled, as quickly as he could, out the door. "I...I...I have a cramp! I'm going to walk it off!"  
  
Yuki sat up and watched Kyou penguin walk out the door. He turned to Tooru wordlessly, still rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.  
  
Sweat-dropping she said, "Kyou-kun has a cramp."  
  
Yuki ran the image of Kyou struggling out the door through his mind again and flushed. "Oh...a *cramp*."  
  
Tooru put a considering finger to her chin. "I wonder if it would help if I massaged it."  
  
"Ma...Massaged it?" Yuki felt his eyes go wide.  
  
Tooru looked at him in bewilderment. Perhaps Yuki wasn't completely awake. "His cramp," she explained.  
  
Yuki looked at her wordlessly for a moment, trying to fight the images that presented to him. Losing the battle he realized he would have to make his own escape. "I'm...I'll..." He stammered and got to his feet. "I'm going to check on Kyou."  
  
Tooru watched him flee the cabin and wondered what was going on.   
  
* * *  
  
Yuki rounded the side of the shack and came upon Kyou. He was leaning against the shack, almost looking like he was counting down to play tag. The mouse stopped, surprised to find the cat so close by. He straightened in shock when he heard Yuki's step and his hands went automatically to cover his crotch. His face was scarlet and Yuki could swear that he could practically see steam rising from him.  
  
"WHAT?!" Kyou shouted defensively, his hands not moving.  
  
"Honda-san..." Yuki sputtered. "Honda-san..."  
  
"'Honda-san'...what?" Kyou bit out. He wasn't in the mood for guessing games.  
  
"Honda-san offered to massage your 'cramp.'" Yuki finally managed.  
  
Kyou's eyes widened and his jaw went slack. He stared blank-faced at Yuki for a couple of beats. He looked down at his hands and back up at Yuki. "You're not HELPING!"  
  
Yuki tried to muffle it but he couldn't help it. The laughter forced it's way out. Still red-faced Kyou glared at him, which just made the other laugh harder.  
  
Clutching his side he leaned up against the cabin, "Sorry, sorry." He apologized and wiped at and eye. "Just think what Hanajima or Uotani would do to you if they knew you were sleeping in the same bed with Honda-san in such a state."  
  
The cat blanched and gave a dramatic shudder leaning his back against the shack. "Ugh. That helps. That witch would probably fry me alive, and the Yankee would make sashimi out of me. "  
  
"If you were fried, you couldn't be sashimi. Uotani likes pot-stickers better anyway." Yuki pointed out looking up into the trees behind the cabin.  
  
Kyou grunted, the strangeness of the conversation hitting him. Yuki turned to look at Kyou and felt the slight smile slip off his face. The red-haired boy stared resolutely at his shoes looking unsure and vulnerable.  
  
"I...I won't tell Honda-san what happened." Kyou looked up to see Yuki regarding him seriously.   
  
Kyou was surprised himself when he replied. "I didn't think you would." He might call Yuki a cheater, and underhanded, but he knew he would never take a low blow like that.   
  
Figuratively speaking.   
  
They walked inside and tried not to blush whenever Tooru looked their way.  
* * * 


	13. Light Rain

There wasn't any more tea. There hadn't been for days. Yuki looked out the door and up at the sky. It was still overcast and gray. The clouds looked laden with rain. He ran a hand through his hair and tried to decide if it looked like the clouds were going to open up again. It had been raining practically non-stop for the past few days. He heard a rustle and turned to glance at the bed by the hearth. Tooru had curled up a little tighter in the sheets, feeling the dampness in the air even in her sleep. Yuki let the sodden curtain over the door drop and walked as silently as he could to the hearth to add more fuel to the fire, noting ruefully that their supply of dry wood was running low as well. He or Kyou would have to bring in some more wood and dry it by the fire before it got too late.  
  
The amount of sleep Tooru seemed to need lately was worrying him. She went to bed earlier and earlier and slept later and later. Both he and Kyou had noticed that the smallest activities seemed to require her to put out more effort than she should. She would pause and brace herself before lifting a full teakettle, she got headaches easily, had to take frequent breaks when doing something detailed like mending and seemed to get distracted easily. He would often find her staring off into space completely forgetting her task at hand.   
  
He moved the curtain aside, sat by the doorframe and looked at the clouds again. That Kyou was still in bed probably meant that it would rain again. Yuki sighed softly and wondered at the novelty of him being the first one to wake. His stomach rumbled in complaint that breakfast had not yet been served. Their stores of rice and other food had been practically emptied. He'd decided to skip breakfast in order to make sure that Tooru had plenty to eat. His little friends had been braving the weather to bring in what little they could while he was trapped inside. It hadn't been much, but it had helped.   
He heard another rustle, and glanced at the bed. Kyou quickly looked away, their eyes just barely meeting. Yuki tensed and looked out the doorway. That was really getting on his nerves. It seemed every time he looked around Kyou was watching him. It was unnerving. Yuki didn't know how to deal with it.  
  
It wasn't as if he wasn't used to feeling Kyou's eyes on him. Kyou had always been watching him, calculating when to strike the next blow. But this was different. This wasn't an angry, blustery look like he had gotten used to ignoring. For days, every time he looked around Kyou was looking at him with this intense unreadable *look*. It made Yuki just want to turn around, shake him and scream "WHAT?!" He'd catch Kyou peering at him out of the corner of his eye or quickly turning away so that he wouldn't know he'd been watching. Kyou had never been good at being subtle.   
  
The feeling in the little cabin had gotten so strange. Yuki felt like his skin was crawling under Kyou's constant surveillance. He didn't know how to react to it. Kyou had been practically silent as well. Tooru had been concerned, but had taken his assurance that it was just the weather affecting him. Yuki knew it was something more. Kyou may have been watching him for years trying to find his weak point, but it had given Yuki ample opportunities to observe Kyou as well. Ever since the night of his nightmare Kyou had been acting like a sleepwalker. When he wasn't boring holes into Yuki's back with his eyes he was staring off into space with a haunted look on his face. Yuki didn't know how to deal with this quiet, pensive Kyou. He'd never seen him like this before.  
  
Yuki shook his bangs out of his face with a disgusted snap of his head. Why was he wasting all this time thinking about the stupid cat? Let him mope himself to death if he wanted. It wasn't as if he cared. Yuki resolutely tried to banish Kyou's nightmare-ridden, panicked and stricken look out of his mind's eye. He just wished he knew why the cat kept staring at him. He stood abruptly and walked over to the hearth; there was a thin broth they'd been drinking instead of tea. He could use something warm, and he was sure both Tooru and Kyou would appreciate it if he had it warm and ready for them when they woke.   
The smell of the broth roused the others out of bed, Tooru letting out a stream of apologies for oversleeping. Kyou placed a hand on her head and kindly told her to shut up and eat her breakfast. Yuki tensed as Kyou's hand stayed twined in her hair a moment more than necessary. He'd been doing a lot of that lately as well, touching Tooru. They were innocent, casual touches. A tap on the arm to get her to move to the side, nudges to bring her out of daydreaming, touches like this one, gentle and joking. It was just another thing that set his teeth on edge.   
  
"Yuki-kun isn't eating breakfast?" Tooru asked in concern.  
  
Yuki blinked and focused in on is immediate surroundings. "I already ate." He lied with a gentle smile. Kyou narrowed his eyes at him letting him know in no uncertain terms that he knew the truth. He was already halfway through his own meager bowl and would look stupid if he refused to finish now. Yuki smiled at him too, pleased to see him tense. Tooru, as usual, remained oblivious.   
  
Despite the lingering mushy wetness outside from the past few days of rain they all hurried to get outside. Yuki stood a minute, his arms half full with damp wood, relishing being outside the little shack. Tooru walked past with an armload of laundry in her arms. Yuki followed her with his eyes and was vaguely aware of Kyou, his own arms full of bark, doing the same. She paused and took a deep breath, adjusted her load, seemed to brace herself and continued on to the stream. Yuki frowned.   
  
"She's not getting better. She keeps trying to hide it." Kyou said coming up beside him.  
  
"Un." Yuki agreed. The two had found they could almost have a conversation if they just started talking as if they were already in the middle of one. "We're out of medicine and I haven't been able to find any of the medicinal herbs I know up here."  
  
"We'll be out of rice by tonight. One of us will have to go into town to get more supplies." Kyou adjusted his load to one arm so he could scratch at his nose.  
  
"Baka Neko," hands full Yuki tossed his head to throw his bangs out of his eyes, "that just delays the inevitable. We can't stay here much longer. Honda-san will never get well here and we'll just end up spending all our money trying to survive."   
  
"What do you suggest then, Kuso Nezumi? Where can we go? It's not like Akito is ever going to stop looking for you." Kyou spat, bristling.   
  
The words dropped into the pit of the boy's stomach and he felt his eyes widen in shock against his will. Forcing himself to calm he bit out a reply as he walked back into the shack. "Looking and finding are two separate things. Japan is a big place. And we can keep moving." Yuki dropped the wood by the hearth to dry. He blinked and looked into the flames suddenly realizing that everything he said was true. Japan was a big place; if they picked a spot at random it would take Akito a while to find them. If they were found, they could just leave again. While they were wherever they were Kyou and he could get jobs, make some money and maybe get an apartment. Perhaps Tooru could even go back to school.   
  
He said as much to Kyou. The other laid out his bark to dry, planning to use it to fix the inevitable leaks that had sprung up. He chewed his lip in thought. "Okay...so where do we go?"  
  
"We'll let Honda-san decide. I'll go down into town today and pick up some supplies and get a map."  
  
Tooru was confused when they brought it up to her as she got back from the stream. "Go back to school?" She blinked and looked from the sopping laundry in her hands back to the boys. "But...but we've missed so much time."  
  
"Kyou was gone for four months last time and they let him back in." Yuki pointed out. "We haven't been gone that long." He trailed off in sudden confusion. How long had they been up there? Time on the mountain seemed endless.   
  
"And I didn't have Yuki to help me study for the entrance exam." Kyou added. Then realizing that almost sounded like a compliment, he blustered. "Not that I needed it. You're pretty stupid though." Then cursed himself for insulting her.  
  
Tooru didn't seem to notice. Clutching the wet laundry to her chest she ran into the shack. Kneeling in front of the picture of her mother she babbled, "Did you hear Mother? We're going back to school. I'll be able to finish for you after all!" She turned a tearstained face to Yuki and Kyou who had followed her inside. "Thank you! Thank you so much! Thank you!" Both boys were wordless under the brunt of her expectations. Both felt a stiffening of their resolve to make her happy and keep her well.  
  
* * *  
  
Yuki picked through his clothes to find the least ragged and worn. Tooru was packing him a small lunch in a corner of a towel. Kyou was picking through some rusted nails trying to find ones that weren't too rusted and weren't too bent to use. He glanced up at Yuki.  
  
"It's going to rain again a little later...I think." He had a good sense for weather but it wasn't exact.  
  
"If it does I'll stay in town till it stops. I'll find a place." Yuki didn't look up from his search. Didn't he have one shirt left with out a tear or snag?  
  
"There's a hostel near the park. Lots of campers go there. It's cheap." Kyou offered.  
  
"I'll keep it in mind." Yuki glanced behind him to make sure Tooru wasn't looking and quickly changed his clothes. He looked down at himself and sighed.  
  
Kyou glanced up at him and sweat-dropped. "You can't go like that."  
  
Yuki's clothes had not held up well on the mountain. The silk, light fabrics and designs he favored weren't meant for this kind of rough living. The shirt he had on was spotted with water stains, had snags and tear going up one sleeve. It had been neatly mended but Tooru had only had a small sewing kit in her things, and hadn't been able to find a thread that came close to matching the fabric. He sighed. The pants were worse off, with stains at the knees and more tears and snags. Yuki was looking decidedly un-prince-like. He'd be thrown out of most stores looking like he was. In the day-to-day living up here he hadn't really noticed how ragged he'd become. With his long hair and ragged clothes, he looked like a vagrant.  
  
"So what am I supposed to wear?" He asked in frustration.  
  
"Yuki-kun could wear Kyou-kun's clothes..." Tooru suggested. She shrunk back from the sudden dark aura radiating off of both boys.  
  
"I could go instead." Kyou said.  
  
Yuki shook his head. "You're too distinctive, and you've been there with your Master before. Someone might recognize you."   
  
"Perhaps...maybe...I should go?" Tooru offered.  
  
Yuki and Kyou exchanged wordless glance, both remembering what happened with the local boys last time she'd gone into town. No way in hell.  
  
"I'll wear something of Kyou's."   
  
A few minutes later Yuki stood uncertainly in front of the others. He felt very uncomfortable in the unfamiliar/familiar clothes. Kyou wasn't that much larger than him, but the clothes hung very different on Yuki's slender frame. He adjusted the high neck of the sweatshirt, zipping it and then unzipping it. He ran an annoyed hand through his hair and looked up at the others for their reaction.   
  
"Amazing!" Tooru burbled and clapped her hands, "Yuki-kun looks like an entirely different person!" Something seemed to occur to her and she ran over to the corner. She rummaged a bit and came up with a small piece of ribbon and the hat she'd worn into town. "Yuki-kun's hair has gotten so long." She explained and went behind him and tied back his hair into a small ponytail. She walked back around him and held out the hat. "To complete your disguise."   
  
Yuki pushed his bangs to the side and put the cap on. That's what it felt like, a disguise or a costume. Perhaps it would be easiest if he just thought of it that way. He adjusted the cap and looked out the door. He was getting a later start than he liked and he had more do to than he had originally planned. Besides getting food, he had to get new clothes for himself, and other things they would need to look presentable when they went looking for jobs and a place to live.  
  
"It may take me a while to find everything we need. I'll most likely end up staying overnight in town." He spoke to Kyou, looking at him out of the corner of his eye.   
  
"Be careful." Tooru's eyes were wide with worry as she handed him their cash purse and the lunch.   
  
"I will." He promised and headed down the mountain into town.  
* * * 


	14. Fog Rolls In

Yuki slowly walked through the isles of the store, gently fingering an item here or there to make it look like he was actually shopping. He couldn't put his finger on it yet, but there was something wrong. He glanced over his shoulder for the millionth time. There was no one watching him. The few other shoppers in the store where completely ignoring him. Finally he decided to just make one small purchase, a small spiral notebook and a pen, and left the store.  
  
  
He glanced over his shoulder again, and headed for a small playground he'd seen as he walked into town. He found a convenient park bench, thankful that the still chilly weather was keeping kids and their mothers out of the park. He took a couple of deep breaths and released them into the air, leaned back and let the sun seep into him. Why did he feel so scared? He gave his head a determined shake, unpacked his lunch and took out the notebook and pen. He didn't know why he was jumpy, but he'd just try to focus on what he was here for.  
  
  
He decided that he wouldn't buy much today. He'd make the bulkier purchases tomorrow just before he headed back up the mountain. There was no reason to carry things around more than he had to. He'd make a list of all the things they needed to get and find out how much they would cost. He'd make a plan. That's what he was good at. Maybe he couldn't build a house, or catch a fish, but this he could do.   
  
  
First he wrote out the things they needed as he ate the meager lunch Tooru had packed. Map, clothes, groceries, medicine for Tooru...Yuki paused, his pen over the paper. Tooru's illness was puzzling, he'd have to go to the pharmacy look over the over the counter medicines to see if any of them listed her symptoms. His pen darted over the paper before he realized he was doing it, fatigue...reoccurring low-grade fever...weakness...He noticed her bracing herself sometimes against the walls of the shack or trees as she went about her chores. Perhaps it wasn't just weakness? Dizziness? He looked at his lists; one side of the paper was filled with prosaic things they needed to move forward. The other was a catalogue of ills. He had to get Tooru to somewhere she could get well. He glanced around a final time and pulled out wallet and quickly counted the cash that he had on hand. He did some quick math to figure out how much was left up at the shack.  
  
  
It was a sizable sum; even he'd been surprised at how much was in his and Kyou's bank accounts. But it wouldn't take long for three people to go through it trying to support themselves in Japan. Yuki sighed; he wasn't sure how quickly they'd go through it to be honest. He'd never really have to worry about money before. How much did it cost to support three people? How much if they where careful, if they where frugal? Did they have enough to survive?  
  
  
He wondered if they had enough to take Tooru to a doctor. How much did doctors cost? Hatori had always taken care of anything the family needed. That option, of course, was closed to them now.  
  
  
Sighing again, he flipped the notebook closed and tucked it into the convenient pocket of Kyou's sweatshirt. He finished up his lunch and planned his attack on the shopping trip. First he'd go shopping for some clothes for himself. One outfit for now would be enough, something presentable to be seen in. He'd shop for something for Tooru as well. She hadn't had much before they went up on the mountain. After living rough for so long much of her things were as worn and ragged as his. He really wanted to find something pretty for her.  
  
  
Then he'd go to the convenience store, look at the medicines and pick up a map. Perhaps he'd find some sort of rental listings...He ran it through his mind as he tossed the remains of his lunch in the trash and headed back into town. He braced himself and walked into a likely looking clothes store. The clerk behind the counter spared him a casual glance, greeted him softly and went back to organizing clothes to be put on the sales floor. He glanced around and headed to the clothing racks. He looked around the store appraising the selection. He walked towards the more formal clothes; he'd need something that looked professional and neat once he started looking for a job. Kyou would need something similar he supposed, but the baka neko could shop for himself once they got settled.   
  
  
He glanced around again, looking at the other shoppers in the store. There were only a few other people in at this time of day. They were all focused on their own shopping and weren't paying attention to him. He shook his head to dismiss his own fears and went back to looking at the clothes in front of him. He wasn't used to having to shop for clothes. Most of his clothes had been expensive tailored garments; you didn't find those kinds of things on the rack at a usual store. But he couldn't afford that now. He'd just have to find something nice but cheap.  
  
  
He picked out a few items and looked around again at the people in the store. Not even the clerk was paying him any mind. And that, he realized, was what was making him so nervous.   
  
  
No one was watching him. He'd gotten used to the constant scrutiny he was under at school and at home. Teachers constantly watched him to make sure that he was setting the proper example for his schoolmates. His fan club recorded his every movement. Kyou sought out his weaknesses by studying him relentlessly. At home he was watched to see if he was keeping up his reputation as the mouse. Akito, his mother, even Shigure were always watching to see if he slipped. And wherever he went, there were the casual admirers. There were always watching girls (and boys) who blushed at his elegant passage, people who sighed at his unattainable mystery. People who wanted have him, or be him, or at least somehow be near him.  
  
  
Yuki took his items to the dressing room, feeling the weight of everyone's disregard follow him. He stepped into the dressing room and regarded himself in the mirror. The cap shielded his expressive eyes and hid his hair. The baggy clothes hid his shape. He looked like any boy off the street. He could be anybody. He was nobody. He was completely unrecognizable. He fingered the brim of the cap.  
  
  
"Yuki-kun looks like an entirely different person!"  
  
  
Perhaps thats why she'd been paying so much attention to the baka neko lately. He took off the cap and shed his costume quickly. He put on an elegant jewel toned shirt he'd picked out and the simple black pants. He looked at the mirror again. He adjusted the collar of the Chinese styled shirt. It was like a cheap imitation of the clothes he usually wore. He untied his hair and shook it out. He frowned at his image. It was too long, he looked even more 'girlish' then usual. He stepped out the door of the dressing room.   
  
  
He walked over to one of the three way mirrors to check the fit of the clothes. If he was going to go looking for jobs or apartments in this, he had to be certain it fitted properly. He glanced over his shoulder again. A couple of women who'd been shopping a few racks over had looked up and were whispering to each other. A tell tale blush lit their features. Yuki looked back at the mirror in satisfaction. This would do nicely.  
  
  
He started back towards the dressing room, glancing around the shop as he went. For a moment his heart leapt into his throat. Ayame! He froze and tried to figure out if his brother had spotted him. Then he felt his blood run cold from embarrassment. That wasn't Ayame, that was him! He was staring at himself on a mirror on one of the columns! At a quick glance, with his longer hair, the resemblance between the two was even more striking. So much so that even he'd been fooled for a minute. He hurried back to the dressing room.   
  
  
He studied himself in the mirror. His brother's face looked back at him. Yuki was still shorter, and a little less broad in the shoulders...but he looked just like that high school picture of him. He pulled back his hair and tied it back with the ribbon. He wasn't anything like his brother. He took off the clothes and put back on Kyou's. He put the cap back on and carried his purchase towards the register. He glanced around again in the store. The women from before were watching the door to the dressing room waiting for his exit. They hadn't realized he'd already left.  
  
  
He felt a lift in his spirits, followed almost instantly by plummet. He'd always told himself that he hated the constant attention that he received. That all he wanted to be was like everyone else, on the same level as everyone else. Then why did he care what some women in a store thought of him? Why did he care if people were watching or not? When had he become such an attention seeker? Perhaps he was more like his brother than he realized. He might not be parading around in purple leopard print coats, but he was making sure he drew eyes in his own way. Perhaps Kyou was right when he'd said that it was his hobby to act sexy. He felt like he didn't know who he was anymore. He felt rootless.   
  
  
He paid for his purchase and left the store quickly. He looked up and down the street. What had he planned to do next? The convenience store...that was it. He hurried down the street, not paying much mind where he was going. The market, pharmacy and convenience store were all on the other side of town.   
  
  
He started past the park, lost in a haze of plans and recriminating self-study. He paid little mind to the crowd of teenagers playing soccer in the park till a rough shout brought him up short.  
  
  
"YOU!"  
  
  
Yuki looked around and saw a small field below the road he was on. A group of boys roughly around his age were gathered in a clump below. He glanced around; they were looking in his direction.  
  
  
"Yeah! You!" One of the boys shouted. "Little help!" He pointed a little ways ahead of where Yuki was on the path. A familiar black and white ball sat precariously on the edge of the path.   
Yuki quickly walked over to the ball and picked it up, then looked down at the field. The boy who called for help held his hands up ready to catch it. Feeling a sudden surge of ego, he decided to show these boys what he could do. So what if it might be considered showing off! He bounced the ball off a knee, and then brought back his leg into a mighty kick.  
  
  
The ball soared over the heads of the waiting teenagers and made a beeline for the goal at the end of the field. It whizzed past the unsuspecting goalie to bounce off the netting. A collective "ooooo" rose up from the boys who had followed the ball's path in awe. Yuki nodded in satisfaction and readjusted the package in his arms. He started back down the path. There were some things he could do.  
  
  
"Hey! Wait!"   
  
  
Yuki turned to see that a group of the boys had charged up the hill after him. He turned to face them, carefully adjusting his package to fit under one arm. Remembering Kyou and Tooru's story of the guys from town, he was going to make sure he was prepared to defend himself. He stared at the boys waiting for them to make the first move.   
  
  
"Hey..." the leader of the pack paused to gasp for breath, the hill had not been a gentle incline, "Hey...that was awesome!" He stood straight and looked eagerly at Yuki, "You gotta play with us!"  
  
  
Yuki silently released a breath, was that all they wanted? "I'm sorry, I have things I have to do."   
  
  
"Aw...c'mon! We're a man short, and you'd really be helping us out!" The boy pleaded, he glanced over his shoulder at his teammates. They all nodded and added in their own pleadings. "Please! C'mon we've never been able to beat these guys because we don't have enough players. With you we could finally show those guys what we could do!"  
  
  
"I'm sorry, but I really don't have time." Yuki said, but couldn't help looking longingly at the ball field. It seemed he was had always been too busy to be really able to join in.   
  
  
"Whatta bunch of loooooosers!" Caroled one of the boys still on the field. "Gotta pull people off the street to play!"  
  
  
Yuki glanced at the field. The boys on the field lounged comfortably around, careless in their assumption that the game was theirs no matter what. A couple of them were laughing and sniggering, making comments behind their hands. He looked back at the boys in front of them. The leader looked down his ears burning red. The others just looked defeated. It must have taken a lot to ask a total stranger to play Yuki realized.   
  
  
"What's your name?" he asked suddenly deciding that he wasn't in such a rush after all. The stores would be open for several more hours, and he had all of tomorrow as well.   
  
  
"Kazuya." The boy blinked.  
  
  
Yuki raised his voice so it would carry to the boys below. "Sorry I'm late Kazuya. I had an errand to run." He pitched his voice low, "I'm Yuki."   
  
  
Kazuya's face lit up. "Awesome!" He punched his fist into the air and wrapped the other around Yuki's shoulder. "Damn!" He shouted, sounding over the top and fake to Yuki's ears. "I thought you were NEVER going to show up!" He tried, and utterly failed, to look sneakily at Yuki, "What position do you play?" He whispered.  
  
  
"Anything on the offensive." Yuki nearly staggered from Kazuya's slap on the back.  
  
  
"Great, you play forward!"  
  
  
The game progressed with Yuki's new teammates proving to be surprisingly competent. They gelled together as a team quickly as boys playing a pickup game can only do. It wasn't long till Kazuya's team had pulled ahead in points due to Yuki's aggressive playing. No one was quite prepared for the slight boy's speed, or his ability to kick so powerfully into the goal from so far back. Only from long practice was Yuki able to keep the satisfied smirk off of his face. The long years of constant sparring with Kyou and constant pressure from the family to be the best had paid off some dividends at least. The other team was no slouch however and they worked fast to close the gap between them in points. Soon they were neck and neck.  
  
  
"Yay!" Kazuya pumped a fist into the air. "We win!"  
  
  
The boys from Kazuya's team broke into cheers and Yuki suddenly found himself in the middle of an enthusiastic congratulatory clump. There were backslaps, handshakes and well meaning nudges all coming at once from all directions. Flushed and smiling from victory he found it easy to respond and let himself be carried along by the group's zeal.  
  
  
This, he thought, is how Kyou must feel when they guys from school gather around him.   
  
  
As the team broke up to return to waiting homes and dinners, Yuki adjusted his cap and took a moment to rest. He pushed his hair back out of his face. It had fallen out of his hair tie again he noted in annoyance. He slouched forward, resting his hands on his knees and enjoyed the feeling of cold air rushing in and out of his lungs. It was a feeling, he reflected, that only people who had had that ability to breathe taken suddenly away could really savor and appreciate. Hatori would probably be having fits if he knew Yuki was playing outside in this weather. He watched his breath puff into the air. The temperature had dropped again as night started to fall, though it was probably colder here in the valley than it was up on the mountain.  
  
  
Yuki straightened guiltily at the thought of Kyou and Tooru up in the shack and looked at the sky. It had gotten late while he'd been playing. The stores would be closing soon, and he still hadn't gone to the pharmacy to see if he could find medicine to help Tooru. In his rush to get out of the clothing store earlier, he'd completely forgotten to shop for something for her as well. He hadn't even gotten the one thing this whole trip had been for, the map. He glanced at the animated Kazuya still arguing over finer points of the game with the other captain.   
  
  
If he left now, he'd still be able to make it to the convenience store before it closed, maybe even the pharmacy. Yuki turned to find his package and continue on his shopping mission. He started to climb the steep grade up to the path.  
  
  
"Hey, wait up!" Kazuya called, grabbing up his ball. Yuki slowed, but didn't stop eager to be on his way. Other boys passed congratulating Yuki and Kazuya on the win. Yuki nodded graciously accepting without outwardly without qualm, though his stomach was in knots from guilt. What had he been thinking, playing games while Tooru waited for him? They walked in silence for a few minutes, Kazuya idly spinning the ball between his fingers.   
  
  
"Man," the other said sighing, "That was great, I knew we could win if we only had enough players. Those guys were always ragging on us because they always win. Now they can't say nothin'." He turned to Yuki, "I really appreciate you helping out."  
  
  
Yuki nodded, "It was no trouble." At least he had the satisfaction of wiping off the sniggering smiles off the other boys team. He'd always hated bullies.  
  
  
Kazuya looked at the boy beside him out of the corner of his eye speculatively. "Did you just move here?"  
  
  
Yuki looked up at Kazuya in alarm. He should have realized there would be questions. He was so stupid. Had he been so eager to play just so he could get the admiration of the other boys? Had he put all three of them in danger just because of his vanity? "Ah...no..." He tried to figure how much he could safely say. How much he could say that wouldn't sound suspicious, or lead to Tooru and Kyou safe up on the mountain. "I'm...just visiting in the area."  
  
  
"Damn." Kazuya sighed explosively. "I was hoping you were transferring into my school. I'm on the soccer team there too."  
  
  
"Ah..." Yuki knew that Kazuya meant no harm. But if someone was to come looking for he and the others...surely someone would remember the mysterious soccer player? He had to get out of this situation as soon as possible.  
  
  
"Hey," Kazuya didn't seem to notice that Yuki was on the verge of panic. "Why don't you come to my place for dinner? My family runs a restaurant. I can promise it will be good."  
  
  
Embarrassingly Yuki's stomach rumbled at the mere mention of food, but he couldn't risk it. Besides, it wouldn't be fair. He couldn't have a good dinner while Kyou and Tooru were still scraping along up on the mountain with the few left over leavings and scraps. "I'm sorry, I really don't have time."  
  
  
Kazuya looked disappointed, "C'mon man, everyone has to eat."  
  
  
"I'm sorry," Yuki apologized again. "I have to make it to a few stores before they close."   
  
Unconsciously he'd straightened, and even with his Kyou costume of clothes, had begun to unconsciously exude his prince-like shell of mystery, his 'don't touch me' shield at full force. "But thanks for the offer." He smiled, unaware that it had become icy and cold.  
  
  
Looking suddenly uncomfortable, Kazuya nodded. "Ok. Uh...Sorry for bothering you." They paused at a branch in the path, "Uh...okay then..." Kazuya started off down the path, he looked back over his shoulder, "Bye."  
  
  
Yuki nodded, and the other started off. Then as an after though he called to his back, "I had fun playing soccer."   
  
  
Kazuya turned back and smiled, "We play just about everyday, come on down anytime!" Kazuya waved and looking happier and less uncertain, turned back to the path and began jogging towards home. Yuki had been a strange guy, but a guy who liked soccer couldn't be all bad.  
  
  
Yuki hurried back into town.  
  
*** 


	15. Lost in the Fog

_Author's Note: I just want to apologize to everyone for my several month delay in updating this chapter. I had incredible amount of 'stuff' happen. (working 2 jobs, no job, car wreck..blah,blah,blah.) Anyway, I really appreciate that people continued to review and ask for updates on not only this fic but all my others as well. I can't promise that I'll update any sooner this time, but I'll sure try. I've also been working on some fics that can't be posted here on ff.net, check my site (www.randomfandom.org) for more details or feel free to email me (merrow@randomfandom.org)._  


Tooru looked down the path for what seemed to Kyou like the millionth time. Her brow puckered and she gave a faint frown. She looked up at the clouds in the darkening sky.  
  
"He said he'd probably be staying over." Kyou reminded her from his spot up on the roof.  
  
The girl jumped and looked up at the cat up on the roof. She smiled. "Kyou-kun really likes high places."  
  
Kyou ignored her attempt to change the subject and jumped down. "He'll be fine. The Kuso Nezumi can take care of himself."  
  
"Yes." Tooru agreed looking back down the path. "I know."  
  
Kyou scratched at the back of his head. She might know that he'd be ok, but that didn't stop her from worrying. The problem was there wasn't really anything to distract her from it. What few salvageable clothes she and Yuki had left had been washed and mended already. There wasn't much food, so there wasn't much to prepare for dinner. Cleaning in the mud and muck up here was useless. She was trying to keep busy. Now she was using the meager sunlight that was struggling through the clouds to desperately try to dry their clothes, towels and blankets. It seemed like everything was either soaking or damp.   
  
What she really should be doing is sleeping, or at least laying down, he thought. Her lips were bluish and her skin seemed to be leeched of its normal healthy color from being outside for so long. Kyou wanted to wrap her up in a blanket and set her before the fire. She'd refuse if he suggested it though. He knew that her mystery illness was making her feel useless and guilty. He didn't understand why she seemed to feel such a responsibility for something she couldn't even control.   
  
He glanced back at the little shack. There were still a few leaks to repair, but they weren't anything major. "You..." He began hesitantly, wincing as she jumped. She'd gone off in a daze again, staring down the path. "Do you maybe want to try..." She looked at him with her big brown eyes and he faltered. She was flustering him so much more these past few days. "Um...you know...what we talked about?"  
  
"Martial Arts?" Her face broke into a wide smile, "You'll teach me? Now?"  
  
He looked into her shining face and blushed. "Ah...Un..." He managed. "If...if you're not doing anything else right now...why not?"  
  
"Yes!" She was practically hopping in place, "I'd like to."  
  
Kyou turned from her and put his hands on his hips. His face had to be as red as his hair by now. He coughed into his hand. "Yes...well...fine. Let's go inside."  
  
"Inside?"  
  
He turned his head slightly and looked at her out of the corner of his eye. "We start out by meditating. We can't do that out here, it's too wet still."  
  
Tooru's face cleared of its confusion. She'd read about that in the books she'd taken out of the library. She followed him happily into the little shack. She was so excited to be finally beginning.  
  
Kyou turned to tell her to get a blanket to sit on and started. Tooru was beaming; if she smiled any brighter she'd be giving off sparkles. "What? What's with that...that look?"  
  
"Look?" Tooru asked brightly, smile not dimming an iota.  
  
"That...that...smile?"   
  
Her hands went up to her cheeks as if surprised to find a smile there. Impossibly the smile brightened. "I'm happy." She said simply.  
  
"Happy?" Kyou said flustered. "What is it about meditating that makes you so happy?"  
  
Tooru cocked her head to the side, "Because I get to learn more about Kyou-kun." He blinked at her and didn't seem to understand. "Because, Kyou-kun is teaching me about something that's very important to him. It makes me feel like I'm getting to understand Kyou-kun better."  
  
"And...and that makes you happy?" Kyou stammered.  
  
"Yes." Tooru said brightly. "It makes me very happy."  
  
Kyou turned to the fire. He couldn't look at that smiling face any longer. His throat was tight, and his head and heart were brimming with questions. Why? Why did she want to know him? Why did she want to understand him? Why did it make her happy to do so? Why? Nothing about him was so special, was so noteworthy. It wasn't like he was some big mystery. It wasn't like he was that damn mouse, perfect or wonderful at things. He wasn't even the best at martial arts; he wasn't the best at anything. Why did she want to learn from or more about a loser like him?  
  
"Kyou-kun..." Tooru said softly when he continued to stare into the fire. "Umn..."  
  
"Get...get a blanket." He managed out of his choked throat. "To sit on." He didn't know why she wanted to know about him, but there was no way to deny her. He didn't think he'd ever be able to say no to something she wanted.  
  
"Okay!" He watched her bustle over to the bed and pull off two of the blankets. She handed one to him and looked at him expectantly.  
  
He folded it and sat on it cross-legged. She did the same with hers, sitting down so that she faced him. He flushed at her direct stare. "Close your eyes." He said gruffly, closing his own shut. He peeked after a moment and saw that she'd obeyed.  
  
He took a moment to just study her. Her long lashes rested against her cheek. Her color had faded up here, but she still had a faint blush coloring her cheeks. She'd lost some of her baby roundness, the mountain was winnowing her away. It set off the bones in her face, making her look older and more delicate. He could spend forever looking at her; every time he looked at her he saw something new.   
Her eyelids started to flutter. She'd open her eyes and ask what was going on if he didn't get on with it. He squared his shoulders.  
  
"Keep your eyes shut." He commanded sharply, not wanting her to see his face right now. He wasn't even sure what the mess of feelings inside him were, but he was sure they were plain to see on his face what ever they were. He closed his own eyes again, taking a deep breath. "Now, concentrate on your breathing..."  
  
He began to lead her through a beginning meditation session, feeling strange. He was advanced enough that Shishou had him help out with some of the beginning students before. But he'd never done any actual teaching on his own. What if he did it wrong?  
  
He opened his eyes trailing off mid-sentence of the meditation exercise he was leading her through. Her head was listing to the side and her breathing was deep and even. She'd fallen asleep. His lips twitched. Falling asleep during meditation wasn't uncommon for beginners. If this were a real class he'd startle the slacking student awake and scold.   
  
But this wasn't a real class, and it was Tooru not some slacking student. He stood and took the blanket he was sitting on and wrapped it around her shoulders. He smiled to himself, he hadn't planned it this way, but he had managed to get her wrapped in a blanket and in front of a the fire.  
  
She stirred slightly but didn't wake. He tiptoed over to the hearth and set the broth to warm, and then dug through the last of their supplies trying to figure out what they'd eat for dinner.  
  
He managed to scrape together a few things. Yuki's little friends had found a couple of yams before he'd left, and there were a few other spring vegetables left. He put the yams into the fire to roast and then went outside to go through a workout while it wasn't raining. The light started to dim when he finished and Tooru still hadn't emerged from shack. He took down the blankets and things Tooru had left out to dry and brought them inside. They were still a bit damp, so he set them up around the fire to finish drying.  
He glanced at Tooru, she'd shifted in her sleep so that she was laying down instead of sitting. He crouched next to her on his haunches, watching her. There was no mouse to disturb him now, no brown eyes to fluster him. Her mouth was open, and she was snoring lightly. It sounded like she was catching a cold on top of everything else.   
  
He pulled at his lip, wondering at himself. All he wanted to do was be closer to her, and it was getting worse every day. He didn't have any right to her. He knew it. So what if she looked at him with those eyes like he was anybody else. It was a lie, even if she didn't seem to know it. But, god, he wanted to touch her. He'd wanted to feel her fingers on his again ever since that night they'd sat together that night after his nightmare.  
  
A lock of her hair had fallen across her face. He brushed it aside without thinking, his knuckle brushing against the soft swell of her cheek. Her eyes fluttered open, blinking at him. He started to pull back but froze when she smiled sleepily.  
  
"Is Yuki-kun back yet?" She said yawning.   
  
He frowned and snapped, "Stupid. He's staying over in town, remember?" He flushed, angry with himself for striking out at her. She just *had* to ask about the damn rat the moment she woke up. He stood and walked angrily over to the fire. He stared into the snapping flames, feeling lost. What was he getting so upset about? He'd known before that she, like every other girl at school, was obsessed with the stupid prince. So why did it hurt so much every time he was reminded?  
  
Tooru flushed and sat up. "Ah, I fell asleep during the lesson!" She scrambled up and started to walk towards him. "I'm sorry Kyou-kun!"   
  
Kyou grabbed at a stick used it as a poker to pull out the yams. "Maybe you should ask that damn rat to teach you." He said bitterly. His mouth kept running without his permission. "Maybe then you'd stay awake."   
  
He winced, kicking himself. Damn it, it wasn't her fault. A lot of people fell asleep during meditation, and those where people who weren't sick and half starved. It wasn't something she should be yelled at for. But of course, his brain kicked in after his mouth had run.  
  
"Yuki-kun?" Tooru asked in confusion. "Why would I want to learn about martial arts from Yuki-kun?"  
  
Kyou refused to turn around to look at her. He was pissed off enough, he just knew seeing the hurt he heard in her voice would completely destroy him. He didn't feel like playing the gibbering fool again.  
  
"He's better at it isn't he? And maybe you'd just find it more *interesting* if he was teaching it." Of course, he was playing the bastard just fine by not looking at her. He plucked the yams onto a plate. "Listen, lets just drop it. Dinner's ready. Go sit at the table."  
  
"But..." Tooru was standing in front of him when he turned around with them. "But I want to learn from Kyou-kun." She was looking sad and lost wrapped up in the blanket he'd put around her shoulders. "I'm sorry if I offended Kyou-kun by falling asleep."  
  
"That's...that's not it." He turned his face so he wouldn't have to look her in the eye. "Why do you want to learn from me so bad? Don't you want to learn from someone who's better at it?" He brushed past her and sat at the table.   
  
Tooru followed after, automatically grabbing some bowls for them to eat out of. "I want to learn from you, Kyou-kun." She sat across from him and finally managed to catch his eyes. "Because martial arts are important to you." She leaned forward, trying to make him understand. "Yuki-kun is good at fighting, but it's not important to him. I want to learn about it so that I can know and understand Kyou-kun better."  
  
"Why..." Kyou whispered, "Why do you care?" He cleared his throat, trying to get past the tightness there. "Why do you want to understand me?" How could she understand him when he didn't understand himself?  
  
"Because I like Kyou-kun." She smiled. "I want to know more about him."  
  
Kyou just stared at her. How could she say things like that so easily, so carelessly?  
  
Her smile faltered a little and she ducked her head. She concentrated on setting out the plates and utensils for dinner. "I'm sorry if I offended Kyou-kun by falling asleep."  
  
"I...wasn't offended." Kyou said roughly as he put one of the yams on her plate. "It's not uncommon...for beginners. It'll get easier."  
  
Tooru looked up at him hopefully as she cut into her yam. "Then Kyou-kun will keep teaching me?"  
  
"Yeah..." Kyou said staring at his plate and the yam there. "Why not? It's not like I have anything better to do."  
  
"Yay!" Tooru said happily. "I'm so glad."  
  
"Un." Kyou said swallowing thickly. He stared at the table. At the edge of his vision he could see her hand splayed carelessly across the table. He wanted badly to cover it with his. He shifted slightly so that he was sitting on his hand instead. It wasn't as if he had any right to her. Sooner or later, he was sure, she'd reject him like everyone else had. Why should he set himself up to be hurt more?  
  
Kyou helped Tooru fold up the laundry a little later and tried not to think about how in just a few hours they'd be crawling into bed soon. Crawling into a bed that held just the two of them. He couldn't help but blush and stammer, but Tooru didn't seem to notice.  
  
Tooru hummed as she finished tidying up the little cabin. She glanced out the door at the darkness outside and hoped that Yuki was safe. It was silly to worry about him, and Kyou would only scold if she said anything. She couldn't help it, after all this time together she couldn't help but fret. He could have been caught, he could be hurt, he could be...  
  
"Tooru." Kyou coughed, his voice stuttering over the word. "Do you want to put the fresh blankets on the b-bed?"  
  
"Good idea." She smiled, thankful from the distraction of her circling thoughts. "I'll wash the others tomorrow."  
  
"Un." Kyou turned back to the bed and stripped off the old blankets. He put together the fresh blankets, trying to keep his temperature down. They were just going to bed, to sleep, that was all.  
  
Tooru was banked the fire and then yawned. Despite her long nap earlier she was already tired. Kyou looked weary and tired as well so she didn't think that he'd object to going to bed early. She looked back at him as he finished the bed.  
  
"I'm going to change now." She said walking over to the corner to pull out her night things. Kyou looked up at her with an unreadable face and then looked away. She blushed a little, the cat had been blustery and hard to talk to all day. Kyou was always hard to talk to, he was a good listener, but he rarely opened up about himself. That's why she was so excited about learning from him about his passion. She never felt closer to Yuki than she did when they were in his garden, she hoped she could get that feeling with Kyou too. He'd reached out to her so many times when she was down. She wanted to repay him just a little.   
Mother, she thought, I just want to know more about him, more about both of them. Is it strange that no matter how much I learn I just want to know more? She wished her mother could answer her. She pulled out the bag at the side of the pile that held her belongings.  
  
"Oh no!"  
  
Kyou looked over his shoulder automatically. He cursed himself as he did, thinking, what if she's naked?! But he saw that she was still clothed, and was looking at her small parcel of clothing in dismay.  
  
"What is it?" He asked, coming over. "Are you ok?"  
  
"Oh, I didn't mean to startle you! It's just... my clothes... they're all wet." Tooru said, trying not to sound upset. It really wasn't a big deal, but she'd been looking forward to crawling into her PJs. They were warmer than the dress she was in. "It looks like they fell into a puddle over here. I'll just put them by the fire to dry."  
  
"What...What will you sleep in?" Kyou asked hesitantly helping her to move the rest of their things out of the way of the puddle creeping up at on the pile. He looked at the roof. He was pretty sure he'd fixed the leak that had caused this puddle but he'd double check tomorrow.   
  
"I'll just sleep in my dress." Tooru smiled, trying not to look disappointed. It was just one night.  
  
"You could sleep...um...in something of mine." Kyou suggested, pulling out his bag. He pulled out a sweatshirt and one of his pairs of pants. She looked uncertain. "It'd be warmer."  
  
Tooru smiled and accepted them. "Thank you Kyou-kun!"  
  
"Whatever." He said turning away abruptly with his own PJs. "Just keep warm, and don't get any sicker. I'm going to change over here."  
  
"Okay." She smiled down at his clothes. Kyou was always so considerate. She quickly changed into the warm sweatshirt and pants. She waited a moment to give him plenty of time to change and then walked over to the bed. Kyou was already in, resting facing the wall. She climbed under the blankets and sighed.  
  
They lay in silence for a while, and the boy slowly relaxed. He knew he was being silly. They'd been sleeping in the same bed for a long time now. What did it matter that there was one less person? He was pretty sure that Tooru would never think of him *that* way anyway. He let his eyes drift shut and tried to fall asleep. The sooner morning came, the better.  
  
"Kyou-kun..." He shivered at the quiet, hesitant, whisper of her voice.  
  
"What?" He whispered back. It was that time of night that made you feel strange for talking in a normal tone of voice.   
  
"Did I...wake you?" She asked softly.  
  
"No."  
  
She was quiet for a moment and Kyou started to wonder if she'd fallen asleep. Then her soft voice came again. "What are you going to do when we leave here?"  
  
Kyou rolled over and looked at her. She was staring at the ceiling. "Kyou-kun said earlier...that he didn't want to go back to high school..."   
  
They'd talked about it before Yuki left. She and Yuki would try to go back to school. With the fact that he'd already missed school in the past, and that he was so physically distinctive with his red hair, it was too dangerous for all them for him to return as well. He'd claimed it was because he didn't want to go back and that was partially true. School had never been a happy place for him, before Tooru that was. But mostly he wanted to do what ever he could to make her dream come true. It was such a simple one; she deserved it to come true.  
  
"Yeah...It seems stupid to go back." He affirmed. "It's not like I was ever very good at it."  
  
Tooru was silent for a moment. "If that's what Kyou-kun really wants..." She trailed off. "But... what will you do instead?"  
  
"Find work." Kyou shrugged. "What else?" He really hadn't thought that far. He'd mostly got caught up in the thought that Yuki and Tooru would be going to school, together, leaving him behind, alone.  
  
"What does Kyou-kun want to do?" She turned her head to look at him.  
  
Kyou shrugged, "I don't know. Maybe I'll look for a dojo...or I can do deliveries... or whatever pays I guess." He glanced at her. Her brow was starting to pucker worriedly. "It doesn't really matter to me."  
  
"Doesn't Kyou-kun have any dreams?" Tooru asked softly. It was okay to ask these kind of questions, in the night, in the dark.   
  
"Dreams? What kind of dreams should I have?" Kyou asked bitterly. "I have my goal. I'll beat Yuki."  
  
"Yes." Tooru agreed softly. "But..."  
  
"But nothing." Kyou cut her off harshly. He rolled over, facing away from her. "What does it matter anyway? Go to sleep."  
  
"Okay..." Her voice sounded hurt and disappointed. "Goodnight, Kyou-kun."  
  
"Goodnight." His reply was curt and final. 

***  
  
Tooru lay awake for a while longer. She listened as Kyou's breath deepened as he fell asleep. Mother, she thought, why is Kyou so afraid to look into the future? Yuki too. Even before they'd come up here, any time she asked him about what he'd be doing later he would brush it off. It was like both of them were trapped.  
  
She sighed and settled herself more comfortably beneath the blankets. Why was she pressing so hard about what they wanted to do? She didn't even know herself what she wanted to do or be. Hana-chan and Uo-chan had always joked that she'd be a bride.  
  
Before her mother had died she'd just assumed that she'd work, help her mother...and yes, maybe someday marry. She hadn't thought much about the kind of job. Cleaning maybe, like she'd been doing before. Or perhaps, once she had a high school degree, working in an office somewhere. Her future hadn't been that big of a concern to her, before her mother died.  
  
After her mother had died she'd been focused on getting by day to day. The future was something she'd left to take care of itself. Something she'd deal with when she'd gotten to it, when it became "today."  
But it was different for Yuki and Kyou. It wasn't like they were just careless or unconcerned about their future. It was like they didn't think they had one to look forward to. How could live and think so hopelessly?   
  
She sighed again as she started to drift off to sleep. They both had such big hearts, and so much to give. They gave so willingly to her and tried so hard to support her. They both tried so hard. Didn't that mean that they deserved some kind of dream?  
  
Mother, she prayed, please...help me to figure out how to get Yuki and Kyou to look forward. I'd like...it may be selfish Mother...but I'd like to share a happy future with Yuki and Kyou. Is that wrong of me, Mother? Am I asking too much?  
  
She supposed it was too much to ask. Sooner or later Yuki and Kyou would realize that they had wonderful things to give to the world. They'd come to appreciate their special "umeboshi", the plum on their backs that she admired so. Then they'd have dreams to pursue, real dreams. She hoped that it would happen soon.   
  
Even if it did mean that they'd leave her and her ordinary dreams behind. After all, they were both so special and unique and she was just plain, ordinary Honda Tooru. Even still, even though it would be lonely, she wanted them to be happy. So she wished for her mother's help, she wished on every star hidden in the clouds, that they'd see it. She hoped that they'd see the special future shining just for them.  
She desperately prayed that they hadn't thrown it away on her when they'd whisked her away here. It was something that was nagging her more and more, especially now that they might actually get to go back to school. They wouldn't be up here if it weren't for her. If they hadn't wanted to save her memories they'd both still be in school, living the life the Souma name could give them. It might have been sad for them to say goodbye to her, and for sure she would have been very lonely without her memories of them. But were her memories so important that they should throw away their futures on them? Her future hadn't been anything special; it hadn't changed much from then to now. But what about their future? If she hadn't come a long what would they have been destined for? She supposed she'd never know now. She hoped they never had cause to hate her because of it.

***  
Yuki looked over his list. He had his clothes. And he'd gone through the market, making a list of what supplies he was going to buy and their prices. He'd actually buy the stuff tomorrow. It was going to be hard for one person to carry it all but he'd manage it somehow. He still hadn't found the convenience store. He really wanted to get a map, and look over the medicines. He wanted a night by himself to think over their choices.  
  
He wanted a night without Kyou's staring eyes, without Tooru's expectations. The final decision would have to be made by all three, but he wanted a chance to think it over. Maybe he could make some suggestions. His mouth twisted. Kyou would argue of course, for no other reason then to disagree. Stupid cat.   
  
He finished up the apple he was crunching on, tossing the core in the trash. It wasn't nearly enough to fill the void inside him. But it was all he'd allow himself to buy for himself. If Tooru, and Kyou he supposed, were making do on the scraps up at the shack he didn't have any right to anything better. He looked up and smiled. The store he was looking for. He'd pick up the map and some medicine, and then look for the hostel.  
  
He pushed open the door in relief. He'd been a bit worried. It had been getting late. He was lucky to have gotten here before the store closed. He checked the sign on the door. He had a half hour to browse. The door chimed behind him and he nodded vaguely as the clerk called out a greeting. He went directly to the maps. There was more of a variety than he'd thought there would be.  
  
He picked out an atlas and a couple regional maps. They'd do for now, once they'd narrowed it down they could get something more specific. He saw a stack of papers advertising apartments and jobs. Since they didn't know where they were going they wouldn't be of too much use, especially since they were mostly local papers. But perhaps he could get an idea of what they should look for when they got to the area they were going to...  
  
Yuki didn't notice the clerk watching him with a puzzled expression. When he walked down the isle to the medicines, she slipped out from behind the counter and followed him.   
  
He looked over the medicines, considering each one. He didn't see anything that matched Tooru's symptoms listed on any of the boxes or bottles. Some were on different bottles, so he supposed he could buy more than one. But was it safe to mix them? He tucked the papers and maps under his arm and began read the safety warnings. Perhaps if there wasn't anything here he could find the pharmacy that Tooru and Kyou had gone to.  
  
"Oi."  
  
Yuki blinked looking up and around.  
  
"Oi."  
  
He looked over his shoulder. The store clerk was staring back at him, a deep frown on her face. She stood with hands on her hips. She was tall, and had bleached hair pulled back in a ponytail. She was looking very fierce.  
  
"Where'd you get that hat?"  
  
"Hat?" Yuki repeated. A hand went automatically to his head.  
  
"Yeah. Your hat... I know it. Last time I saw it, it was on a girl." She was really scowling now. "How'd   
you get a hold of it?"   
  
Yuki blinked at her. Tall, blonde hair, tough looking...the dots were slowly connecting. "I'm sorry...but are you called 'Kin-san'?"  
  
"Yeah...who wants to know?" Kin started to look uncertain.  
  
Yuki bowed a little, trying to look as charming as possible. "I believe you helped out a friend of mine, Honda Tooru." When the name didn't seem to ring a bell, he continued. "A girl, shorter than I," He gestured to indicate her height. "...Dressed in pants and a sweatshirt..." he fingered the cap again. "And this hat.   
  
The girl's face cleared almost instantly, "Oh... you must be the guy she was getting medicine for. Souma-kun?"  
  
Yuki winced internally. He hadn't realized that Tooru had used his name. He supposed it didn't matter. It wasn't as if "Souma" was really that uncommon. It was useless to deny it now; it'd be even more suspicious. "Yes." He paused, "She told me what happened. Thank you for helping her."  
  
The girl waved it off, then turned a scolding finger to him. "No problem, but that's what you get for letting your girlfriend wander off alone."  
  
"I was a bit...indisposed at the time." Yuki said flushing. "And she wasn't alone. A friend was *supposed* to be escorting her at the time." He was still angry with Kyou for letting her get into that situation in the first place.  
  
"Some friend." Kin huffed. A chirping noise caught her attention. She glanced at her watch, touching a button to silence the alarm. "It's closing time. Got what you wanted to get?"  
  
Yuki looked back at the medicines, quickly grabbing a few bottles and boxes. One promised to reduce fevers; another was something that promised more energy. No one medicine would work so he'd try a couple. "Yes... I'm ready..." he followed her up to the counter and laid every thing out.  
  
Kin picked up the medicine to ring it out. "She sick now?" She looked up in concern. "Anything serious?"  
"I don't know." Yuki said, his voice betraying his worry and concern. "She doesn't seem too sick...just kind of...run down."  
  
She looked at the maps, the rental listings and the job postings. Her movements got slower on the register as she put each item in the bag. Yuki handed her the money and she considered it for a moment, not putting it in the register.  
  
"You...living rough?" She asked slowly.  
  
"Rough?" Yuki repeated. It took him a moment to realize what she was asking. Where they homeless? He supposed they were in a way, but he didn't want to admit it to this girl who was practically a stranger.  
  
Kin read his silence easily. "Runaways?"  
  
"No!" Yuki shook his head. He blurted out the first excuse he could think of. "We're...camping."  
  
"This time of year?" Kin sorted, punching the keys on her register and making his change. "Please. The only people who 'camp' this time of the year are those that don't have a choice, those that don't have anywhere else to go."  
  
Yuki flushed and looked down.  
  
The clerk shrugged. "Listen, it happens. But it doesn't sound like your girl is too healthy."  
  
"She'll be fine. We're going to be going somewhere better soon." Yuki nodded at the map sticking out of the bag. "Thanks for your concern." He added coldly.  
  
"Hey." Kin frowned, "No need to get nasty. I was just going to ask where she was. She's not alone is she?"  
  
Yuki bowed his head, ashamed that he'd let his pride get the better of him. "No...She's with a friend."  
  
She handed him his bag. "What about you, where are you going tonight?"  
  
He took the bag. "I heard there was a hostel near the park. I thought I'd stay there."  
  
The girl's eyes widened. "But the hostel isn't open this time of the year. It's only open during the camping season."  
  
Yuki grimaced. Baka Neko, he would tell him to go to a place that wasn't even open. He glanced up to see Kin still studying him. "It's fine... I'll find someplace else."  
  
The girl glanced at her watch. "Not this time of night. The Sunset, the only hotel in town, is closed by now." She looked at him and could read the thoughts running through his head. "You can't sleep in the park. The cops in this town don't have nearly enough to do. They'd do more then just roust you out, they'd probably arrest you for loitering."  
  
Yuki's back stiffened. "I'll manage."  
  
Kin snorted, "Oh, get the rod out of your ass." She put her hands on her hips.  
  
"What?" His wide purple eyes blinked.  


"You can come to my place for the night." Kin hopped over the counter and flipped the sign on the door to 'closed'. "You just have to wait for me to finish closing up."

***  
  
That was how Yuki found himself in Kin's tiny one room apartment for the night. There really wasn't any refusing her once she got her mind set on something. Not only did he end up at her apartment, he ended up sharing a heaping bowl of noodles as well. It would be rude, she claimed, for her to eat alone so she'd pressed a bowl on him once she had hers made.  
  
"So." Kin said as she took the empty bowls and dumped them into a sink overflowing with dirty dishes.   
  
"Was that girl's mom... Tooru you said? ...Really in a gang?"  
  
"She told you that?" Yuki's eyebrows shot up.  
  
"She said 'Mother and Uo-chan were in a gang too' and that there were kind people in gangs." Kin tugged on her ponytail looking a little pleased. "She's pretty naïve, huh?"  
  
"She's the kindest person in the world." Yuki said a little defensively. "She's just a little...trusting."  
  
Kin snorted, "That's one word for it."  
  
Yuki frowned.  
  
She rolled her eyes. "I'm not trying to insult her. Honest." She looked down, "I've just never met anyone like her before."  
  
Yuki smiled. "She's special."  
  
"Oh, man." Kin laughed, throwing her head back. "Have you got it bad!"  
  
"What?" He played with the brim of his hat self-consciously.  
  
"This is you." Kin put on a dreamy face and clasped her hands to her heart. She fluttered her eyelashes dramatically. She altered her voice to try to match it to Yuki's, if his voice was sugary and sappy, "She's...*special*."  
  
Yuki flushed and ducked his head again. He wasn't used to teasing like this. Not even Shigure teased him so directly. Was he really that obvious? God, Honda must think that he was a simpering, smitten fool.  
  
"Aw...c'mon." Kin sobered, "You look like I just kicked your dog or something."  
  
"Sorry." Yuki said stiffly, exuding his full ice prince persona, "I just don't see what's so funny."  
  
Kin sighed and cocked her head, resting it on a fist. "You wouldn't. Don't you have any sense of humor at all?"  
  
Yuki just stared at her blankly.  
  
"Apparently not. I feel sorry for Tooru." Kin stood and walked over to a closet, pulling out some futons. "She looked like a girl who liked to laugh."  
  
Yuki looked down again. He stood and picked up his purchases, moving them to the wall. Maybe that was why...maybe that was why she was so much closer to Kyou. He was always teasing her, making her laugh, making her smile.  
  
Kin looked over from where she was spreading out the futons and frowned. "What, did I strike a nerve?" She stood and looked a little guilty. "Look, I'm sorry. I know I have diarrhea of the mouth sometimes. Just forget what I said, ok."  
  
"Fine." Yuki said, but there was no way that that line of thought was going to leave his mind now.  
  
Kin went to change and Yuki crawled beneath the sheets of his futon. It was incredibly soft and warm compared to the bed he'd had up in the little shack. But this bed was a single, and he missed the warmth at his back where Tooru would usually be.  
  
He closed his eyes when Kin came in and turned out the lights. She crawled into her own futon, which was as far away as the tiny apartment would allow. There was a silence that stretched for minutes, but neither of them slept.  
  
"Hey... Souma."  
  
Yuki's eyes opened again, looking at the unfamiliar wall. He closed them again wearily. "Can I do something for you Kin-san?"  
  
"I... Uh... didn't offend you, did I? I didn't mean to."   
  
"No. I wasn't offended." Yuki assured her.  
  
"You sound offended."   
  
"I'm not, it's just..." Yuki trailed off. Why should he be explaining himself to her? He burrowed deeper into the futon.  
  
"It's just... what?"   
  
"It's just that Honda-san isn't my girlfriend." Yuki burst. "I... I think she likes somebody else." He resettled himself, kicking angrily at the sheets that seemed suddenly too tight. "Somebody who makes her laugh." He took a deep breath and clenched his fist in the sheets. He'd never said it that straight out before. She wasn't his girlfriend. He had no claim on her. She liked someone else. Kyou.   
  
"Your 'friend'?" Kin said softly, breaking the silence. "The one who's with her tonight, the one that was supposed to be looking over her last time?"  
  
"He's not my friend." Yuki said, the words coming out more savagely than he'd intended. "He's just..." He let out a loud sigh. "...It's just hard to explain."  
  
"What...so she's his girlfriend?" Kin asked, sounding carefully curious.  
  
"No..." Yuki sighed. "But I think it's because he hasn't asked her."  
  
"So...I'm confused." Kin said. "How to you guys all know each other?"  
  
"Tooru was a classmate..." The mouse frowned as he tried to figure out how to condense their complicated story into a few sentences. "Her mother passed away, and she had some troubles...so she ended up living with me and my cousin..."  
  
"So your 'not-friend' is your cousin?" Kin interrupted.  
  
"No... I mean yes... he's my cousin...but not the cousin I was living with. Kyou..." He cursed himself for slipping with Kyou's name. It was too late now. "He came to live with us later. That's when he and Tooru met."  
  
"Oh." Yuki didn't have to wait long for the next question. "So...She was living with you both. But she's not either of your girlfriend?"  
  
"No...She...well..." Yuki trailed off. "She was just sort of working for us... as a maid in exchange for room and board."  
  
"Oh." Kin was quiet for a moment, but only a moment. "So...um...if you don't mind me asking..."  
  
"Could I stop you?" Yuki muttered.  
  
"Ha...you do have a sense of humor..." Kin laughed, "So...how did you guys end up...you know... here?"  
  
"There was an accident." Yuki said simply, "The family head...wasn't happy. He was going to send her away." It was the barest bones of an explanation. But it was as much as he was going to give. Even Kin could tell that from his tone.  
  
"So you three just ran away together?" Kin said after a pause.  
  
"Yes...till we could think of...something." He winced. That sounded so stupid.  
  
"That's really..." The girl paused as if searching for the right words. "Amazing."  
  
"What's so amazing about it?" Yuki asked bitterly.  
  
"You three just threw away your lives to be together? That's amazing. I mean... you must be really good friends."  
  
"I...did it for Honda-san." Yuki said softly. "Same reason Kyou did...She...wouldn't have gone without him."  
  
"Would she have gone without you? Oh, jeeze..." Kin sounded immediately apologetic. "That was really insensitive... I'm sorry."  
  
"No..." Yuki said slowly. "I don't know if she would have... I don't think so. Honda-san worries about everyone before herself. If I'd stayed behind, she'd have worried that Akito's anger would have fallen on me instead."  
  
"Then...you don't really know which of you she really likes right?" She sounded cheerful. "So you still have a chance."  
  
"Yes." Yuki said softly, not believing it for a moment. "I still have a chance." He was silent for a moment. He might possibly have a chance to win Tooru's heart. But he didn't have the right to even pursue her. Hatori was right. They were cursed. They'd be forever cursed. How could he draw her into that? Kyou's curse was even worse than his, he shouldn't be trying to win her either. It was impossible though. Both of them were drawn to her irrevocably. They'd drawn her into their lives, stolen her away from hers. "I just want her to be happy." He said finally.  
  
"Well, any girl's gotta be happy that not one but two guys would throw away their fortunes to be with her." Kin said.  
  
"Who said anything about fortunes?" Yuki said defensively.  
  
"Please. You have enough money for a maid and have to answer to a family head? In this day and age? You gotta come from money." She chuckled. "And you sound like a priss...no offense."   
  
"None taken." He said wryly.  
  
"She's lucky, two guys...willing to give up everything..." Kin sounded sleepy and like she was drifting away. "And even willing to wait for her to decide between them? Pretty...damn....amazing." She yawned loudly. "If you ask me."  
  
Yuki listened to her rustle and settle in the sheets of her futon. "Sounds like a manga..." she muttered as she finally fell silent for the night.  
  
It took him a bit longer to succumb to sleep. Kin had it all backwards; she didn't have all the details. He and Kyou weren't the amazing ones. And Tooru wasn't lucky at all. He only hoped that she didn't hate him by the end of all this.  



	16. Darkening Skies

Hi all. I can't believe it's been more than a year since I've updated this story. When last I wrote, I mentioned that I had a lot of 'stuff' happening  
  
Well the good news is that most of that stuff has ironed itself out. I went from having no car (due to car wreck), no job, and nothing going right to a complete turn around. Now I have a brand spanking new car (well, it was new 3 months ago), a brand new job (better hours, pay and benefits then the one I'd been fired from) and everything just going *right* with the world. Unfortunately, the new job and some of my other new ventures absorbed a lot of my time and I had less time for writing. But I'm trying to structure my time better.  
  
I can't promise that I'm going to update soon, but I promise it won't be another *year*. And to compensate for how long this took, this is an especially long chapter. I want to thank everyone who continued to review and email me to encourage me to continue this story. I probably would have abandoned it if it weren't for your support. It's really meant a lot. I'll try to keep it going more regular from now on.  
  
This chapter is dedicated to the girl I spoke to for less than 5 minutes at Katsucon '04. It meant a lot to me that you tracked me down just to ask when this was going to be updated! I wish I hadn't been distracted and that we could have talked! Contact me! Merrow@randomfandom.com  
  
****  
  
The next morning dawned too early. Tooru muffled a groan. She'd been having trouble waking for a while now, and when she did wake she felt wool-headed and achy. She started to stretch and froze. Her feet had brushed up against something warm and prickly as she started to move. She experimentally tapped her toes. It was warm solid...and a little hairy. She peeked over her shoulder. Kyou was so close she nearly crossed her eyes trying to look at him.  
  
Now that she was more awake she became aware of other things. Besides his head laying just beside hers and his legs so close that her toes were brushing against his shins, he had an arm slung over her waist. Tooru's breath caught; if she'd moved one breath more into her stretch she would have surely transformed him. She tried to hold as still as possible. His breathing was deep and even, he didn't sound anywhere close to waking yet.  
  
Tooru yawned as she tried to think of what to do. She didn't want to wake him; he'd been working so hard the past couple of days. She was sure he could use all the sleep he could get. And it wasn't as if she was uncomfortable. Kyou was warm, his body heat supplementing the worn blankets nicely. She was sure if she thought about it, she'd get embarrassed. She'd never been this close to a male before, but Kyou was a dear friend... like Hana-chan or Uo-chan. She got the same comfortable feeling she got with them from him. She knew she should stay awake to ensure that she didn't roll into him and give him a rude awakening, but the cozy warmth was making it very difficult.  
  
Then a cold breath of air blew through the little shack and she shivered. It chased up the bottom of the blanket and chilled her skin making it pimple. She curled a little tighter, as much as she could without waking Kyou. Her hand splayed out in the empty space where Yuki usually lay. There had been other mornings when she'd woken and found the boys had huddled close due to the cold winds that no amount of plugging and blankets could keep out. Those had been her secret favorite moments. Warmth to her back, warmth to her front, and her snug and safe between them those were the happiest times she'd had since they'd come here... besides that time in the hot spring.  
  
She felt Yuki's absence like an ache. He'd only been gone a day. He'd probably be back before nightfall tonight. But she wanted him here, now. The open pallet he usually slept on was cold and it made her feel lonely.  
  
Kyou's arm on her waist tightened for a moment, and she froze. Then it drew away, taking its heat with it. He'd woken and was drawing back. She gave a little breathless sigh and tried to stay as still as possible. He'd be embarrassed if he knew that she'd waken while he was touching her. Kyou didn't like it when his personal space was invaded. She'd seen how he'd reacted to Kagura's clingy-ness and tried not to press herself on him that way. But at times like now when she was feeling a little lost and lonely, she really wished she could have grabbed his arm and kept him close to her.  
  
Kyou rolled on his back and bit his lip to keep in his groan. Thank God Tooru hadn't woken before he did. He hadn't been able to keep himself from tightening his grip on her just a little before removing his arm. He'd been dreaming of having her in his arms, of the scent of her hair in his nose. When he'd woken it had taken a moment to realize that it wasn't supposed to be that way, but then he'd felt the coldness in the air and had known that he had to let her go. He felt so calm when he was close to her like that. Like the world had shifted into something that resembled sense, like he finally belonged somewhere. But that was just a dream.  
  
He stretched and slid quietly from the blankets. He padded across the chilled floor and built up the fire, putting on the last of the broth. In a way he was glad the nezumi was going to be coming back today. It was easier to control himself when there was someone else here.  
  
He heard a stirring on the makeshift bed and turned to see Tooru sitting up tangled in the blankets. His lips twitched into a half smile, she was so damn cute in the morning. He turned back quickly to the fire and futzed with the teakettle until any flush on his cheeks could be easily explained away.  
  
"So I guess we'll start again today, with the... you know..." He said coughing into his hand.  
  
"The lessons?" Tooru smiled, quickly making the bed and walking over to set the table for their breakfast. "Yes! Oh, but..." she glanced at the pile of dirty blankets from the bed. "First I should get these washed." She walked to the door and pushed aside the blanket and up into the sky, there were still plenty of clouds but they weren't as dark and angry as they had been lately.  
  
"Do you think it will stay nice enough for them to dry?" She glanced over her shoulder at Kyou. He was staring at her in an odd way and her perpetual smile faltered. "Kyo-kun?"  
  
Kyou turned and took the kettle off the fire. He coughed into his hand, "Yeah, if we start early." He looked up at her hoping that his face was schooled again. Seeing her framed by the early morning light, lost inside his clothes wasn't something he'd been prepared for. His sweatshirt fell almost to her knees and his pants looked more like a skirt on her. "I'll help." He said pouring out the broth.  
  
He handed Tooru her cup as she came to sit across from him at the table. "Oh, you don't have too..." She protested.  
  
"It'll go quicker if it's both of us..." He shrugged it off, trying not to look at her too directly.  
  
"I'll change once we're done and we can get started." Tooru smiled, she felt a little nervous with Kyou acting so strange. She drank her broth a little too quickly.  
  
"No!" Kyou flushed and tried to soften his vehement denial. "You know you're just going to get wet, you might as well stay dressed in... that." He didn't know why he liked her in his clothes so much. It was annoying when his mouth decided things before his brain thought them through.  
  
Tooru stood and cleared their now empty mugs. There wasn't much else left to eat in the little shack, just a few spring vegetables to add to the thin broth for lunch. Yuki should be back with food later... or so they hoped. If nothing went wrong, if he wasn't discovered, or waylaid or... Tooru shook herself out of her thoughts and found Kyou looking at her with an unreadable look on his face. Maybe Kyou was worried about Yuki too; maybe that's why he was acting so odd. It was so strange without Yuki here, everything felt off balance.  
  
"Lets get started then." She smiled. She went to scoop up the blankets but Kyou was already there. He flushed when she looked at him curiously.  
  
"I...I'll carry them." He said walking past her and out the door. "You'd just trip and fall and get them even dirtier..."  
  
"Ah, yes... sorry." She said smiling, knowing he didn't mean his harsh sounding words. Once they got to the river they set to the messy and hard work of washing the blankets in the stream.  
  
They worked together companionably, Tooru was glad for his help. In all honestly, with how weak she'd been feeling lately she probably couldn't have done this on her own. It took both of them to wring out the blankets when they were sodden with water. Kyou was right to tell her not to change, they'd both gotten completely soaked. Even though they started early the position of the sun indicated it was just past noon by the time they were finished hanging them to dry.  
  
Kyou flung himself down on the grass in the weak sunlight once the last blanket was hung taking a deep lungful of the warming air. That had been harder work than he'd thought it would be. No way would that stupid girl have been able to do it on her own.  
  
"Haaaa..." Kyou glanced over to see Tooru had stretched herself out beside him. She had her eyes happily scrunched shut and her arms and legs spread wide like a child making snow angels. She drank in the sun as her body cooled from their hard work.  
  
She turned her head and caught Kyou's eye. Her smile widened. "It feels good doesn't it?"  
  
"Good?" Kyou asked feeling his body heat in a new way.  
  
"Laying in the sun after working hard. It feels *good*." She said with feeling. She sat up and stretched, smiling up at the sky.  
  
Kyou's mouth fell open. She looked so happy and content. Could life really be that simple?  
  
Tooru pulled her arms in hugging herself, rubbing her hands up and down her arms. She was cooled down now and starting to get chilled. She didn't want to admit it though; she was really enjoying sitting here in the sun with Kyou.  
  
But the quick-eyed cat didn't miss the shiver she wasn't able to conceal and sat up cursing. Tooru turned her wide eyes back to him as he stood over her hands on hips.  
  
"What the hell are you thinking? Sitting around in the cold with wet clothes?! Why didn't you say something, go in and change!" Kyou pointed to the house. "And not into one of those stupid dresses."  
  
"Yes!" Tooru said jumping up startled by Kyou's quick mood change. "I mean, um..." she said, "But, Kyou-kun all I have are dresses..."  
  
"You have your pajamas don't you?" Kyou turned his head away from her gaze. "B-besides," Kyou hoped his flush wasn't obvious, "They'll be good to work out in too."  
  
"Oh! Yes!" Tooru smiled brightly and practically ran back to the shack. She turned, almost tripping, to call back to Kyou, still under the tree. "I'll be really quick! I can't wait to start!"  
  
Kyou fell into an exhausted crouch. Dammit, when was that stupid nezumi going to get back? If he didn't get back soon he was going to do something really stupid.  
  
***  
  
When Yuki finally woke up he found himself sitting at a table halfway through a simple breakfast of rice and miso. He blinked and stared at the chopsticks in his hands and then looked up to see Kin starting at him in fascination.  
  
"How do you do that?" She asked as brought her own chopsticks up to her face.  
  
"Do what?" He asked trying to cover his embarrassment. He'd wandered around half-asleep at home frequently. This wasn't the first time he'd found himself dressed and somewhere else without a memory of doing it. This was the first time he'd done it in front of a complete stranger.  
  
"Walk around, dress, and eat in your sleep. I've never seen anybody do that before."  
  
Yuki sighed and ate another morsel of rice. "It's not something I do on purpose." He looked up suddenly. "I didn't... do anything weird to you this morning did I?"  
  
"Weird?" Kin burst out laughing, "No, all I did was try to shake you awake... but you were just zombie-boy instead. Why, what do you usually do to the people who wake you?"  
  
"Hit them." He said deadpan and finished up his breakfast.  
  
"Well, you could've warned me." Kin replied as she chuckled through the rest of her breakfast.  
  
"It didn't occur to me." Yuki said, realizing as he the words left his mouth how arrogant that sounded. "Sorry." He apologized, "I'm not my best in the morning."  
  
"I noticed." Kin said taking her empty bowl and dumping it with the other dirty dishes in the sink. "So, not that I'm kicking you out or anything, but what are you doing today?"  
  
"I have some errands left to run." Yuki said evasively as he put his bowl in the sink. He thought for a moment to offer to do the dishes in return for staying the night, but then looked at the mound in and around the sink and discarded the idea. One night in a futon wasn't worth having to touch the dishes that looked like they'd been there for much too long.  
  
"Need help?" Kin asked leaning against the counter. "I don't have anything to do until work at four."  
  
"I can manage on my own." Yuki said flatly. "Thank you." He was too much indebt to this weird girl as it was.  
  
"Oh, get over yourself." Kin said planting her hands on her hips. "I'm not pitying you or anything. I just happen to have the day free and nothing to do."  
  
Yuki sighed, what did he have left to do? He'd gotten an outfit for himself, a map and some job listings, medicines for Tooru.... All he had left was some grocery shopping. And he had to buy clothes for Tooru. He really hadn't thought that through, he'd stick out like a sore thumb by himself in a women's department.  
  
"Thank you." He said much more sincerely, "I could use some help."  
  
***  
  
"What about this one?" Kin looked over her shoulder and sighed. She put her hands to her hips and stomped her foot. "Souma!"  
  
Yuki jumped and turned to Kin, flushed and turned back. "Umm... I don't know."  
  
Kin hung up the short skirt she'd been holding up and stomped in front of him. "God dammit, it's just a skirt! How were you planning to buy anything for her if you can't even look at girl clothes? It's not like we're picking out bras and panties or anything!"  
  
Yuki's face blazed bright red at the thought of the intimates department they'd had to walk through to get here.  
  
"Oh, for the love of-" Kin threw her hands up in the air. "You don't know her size, you can't even look at the clothes without turning into a tomato, you're hopeless!"  
  
"Sorry if I don't know how to shop for girl clothes! I am a guy after all." Yuki bit back, turning redder as heads began to turn to watch them. "Can't you just... pick out something?"  
  
"How am I supposed to do that? I only met her once, and she was dressed in a baggy sweatshirt and pants at the time." Kin said in exasperation. "I don't know what she likes, I don't know anything about her."  
  
"She... She usually wears dresses and skirts." Yuki managed a quick glance at the rack Kin had been looking at. "Usually longer than *that*."  
  
"Well that's something..." Kin said shaking her head. "Okay then, come over here." She dragged Yuki by his shirtsleeve.  
  
"Ah!" Yuki couldn't help gasping out.  
  
Kin rolled her eyes, dropping his sleeve in disgust. She flipped through a rack. "Does she wear stuff like this?" She pulled out a simple pink jumper.  
  
"Y-yes!" Yuki said, eyes lighting. "She wears clothes just like that."  
  
"Figures, girly-girl stuff." She snorted. "Suits her though."  
  
"What does that mean?" Yuki stiffened. He knew he hadn't been the best shopping partner, but Kin's constant snide comments were getting on his nerves.  
  
"It means she looked like the type to dress like this." Kin said, unaffected by his pique. "Sweet, innocent, with 'marry me' stamped on her forehead."  
  
"M-marry..." Yuki's face flamed anew.  
  
"Jeeze, you're so easy to tease." Kin grinned. "C'mon help me pick out something perfect for your bride."  
  
"I told you before," Yuki said flushing as he turned to look at the rack. "She's not my bride... she's not *my* anything." "No?" Kin thumbed through the rack specutively. "She's just a girl who gave up everything to be with you..." She paused and then added in out of duty, "...and your cousin." She gave Yuki a sidelong look. "You call that nothing?"  
  
"That's not what I meant!" Yuki could feel the knot between his shoulders tighten. "She's very important... but I don't have any right to call her anything but a friend." He glared at the clothing rack as if it was its fault that he couldn't move forward with Tooru. "It wouldn't be fair..."  
  
"To who? Your cousin?" Kin pulled out a yellow dress and hung it over her arm. She knew she was pressing, but she was curious and she'd never pretended to be tactful. She didn't see any reason to start now. "Did he confess before you did?"  
  
"No!" Yuki's hand clenched tightly on bar of the clothing rack. He'd been trying hard *not* to think of what Kyou and Tooru were doing, alone, while he as down here. Kyou had been acting so weird lately. He'd been so familiar and close to her. Had he confessed? Was he thinking about it as much as Yuki was? What would her answer be if Kyou did speak what was so clear to Yuki every time he caught cat when he was secretly watching her? Where would that leave him?  
  
"So then why wouldn't it be fair?" Kin continued on, unaware of the storm she'd awakened in his heart.  
  
"Just leave it."  
  
Kin turned in to face Yuki in surprise at his chilly tone. She swallowed hard and her hands froze on the clothes. Yuki's face had gone still and serene, and he was almost smiling. But his eyes were narrow, blank and cold. She'd seen eyes like that before among the gangs. They usually belonged to killers.  
  
"S-sorry." She stammered. Yuki turned those icy eyes away from her pushed a few dresses to the side. She swallowed again, getting her courage back now that those blank shuttered eyes where off of her. She hadn't survived this long by just letting a dirty look stop her. (Though there were people who often told her she wouldn't last much longer if she stayed as persistent as she did).  
  
"But listen," She turned to face Yuki but he kept sorting through the dresses, "I just meant... nothing is decided yet, right?" She stopped as Yuki's hands stilled on the dresses. "If no one has confessed yet, and she hasn't said anything... well then... it could still go either way."  
  
"But..." Yuki looked up when he felt her hand touch his shoulder. "But if you never say anything, how is she going to know?" Kin looked sad. "It'd be awful if she never knew how you were feeling. And won't you regret it if you never say anything?"  
  
Yuki looked numbly back at the dress rack. "What does it matter to you what I say or what I don't say to her?" He said more to shut her up then out of curiosity.  
  
"Maybe 'cause I'd like to see a naïve, silly girl like that, the kind who thinks a person like me could be kind, happy. Because I when I see something that I think is stupid, I say so!" She stamped her foot. "And I think you're being stupid! God! If you never say anything of course you'll lose her."  
  
"What makes you think..." Yuki said slowly, feeling the pent up fear, frustration and fury heat his insides, "That I should be the one to 'win' her? You don't know anything about me!" He knew he was bordering on causing a scene in the middle of the store. For once he didn't care who watching or listening. "Maybe I think she deserves better!"  
  
Kin was unmoved by his outburst. She advanced slowly on Yuki until she was dangerously invading his space. She slowly lifted a thumb and forefinger and flicked him hard against his forehead. "Stuuuu-pid!"  
  
Yuki reeled back in surprise clapping his hands over the quickly reddening spot on his brow.  
  
Kin put a hand on her hip and looked at him in such a way that Yuki suddenly felt like a small child or a tiny insect. "Iiiiidiot! Who better then someone who always thinks she deserves the best?" She looked suddenly tired. "Lets just pick out a couple stupid dresses and get going. You are just too frustrating."  
  
"I'm sorry." Yuki kept his head down his now long hair obscuring his burning face. "I know that I'm frustrating." Kin looked back at him, one long eyebrow rising. "You think that I don't know that I'm useless this way?" His fists clenched and he looked up. "Do you really think a pathetic, frustrating person like me would be a good match for her? All I can do is try my best to make sure that she'll be happy. It's hard... but I can't be selfish." Yuki was winding down; the last was said so softly that he wasn't sure if Kin had heard him at all.  
  
"Isn't it ok to be selfish sometimes?" Kin said softly laying a third dress to the small stack she had across her arm. "C'mon, I think these will do...let's get out of here." She started down the isle to the register, her scowl giving the nosy women in the store a scare as she passed.  
  
"Not when it comes to her." Yuki muttered to himself, "It isn't ok if it's her."  
  
***  
  
Kyou bit back a curse and turned away.  
  
Tooru immediately started apologizing. "Ah, ah, I'm sorry Kyou-kun! Really I am!" She bowed so low her hair flipped over her head and nearly brushed the ground. "I'll try harder this time, this time I'll get it!"  
  
"That's what you said last time! And the time before that!" Kyou burst, running a frustrated hand through his hair. "We've been at this for hours, maybe we should just give it up..." he sighed turning back around.  
  
Tooru looked up at him with an agonized apologetic look on her face. She looked like she was about to burst into tears. "Please! Just one more time, I'm sure I can get it this time! I'll try really, really hard!"  
  
He turned quick on his heels and crossed his arms tightly across his chest. He knew she'd take it the wrong way, but the only other alternative was wrapping his arms around her and he couldn't let it come to that. "F- Fine... one last time." He glanced at Tooru out of the corner of his eye.  
  
She stood staring at him intently, her body rigid in concentration. Her cheeks were flushed pink from effort, but it couldn't disguise her underlying weariness. She was trying to control her breathing, but she was panting as if she'd been running a marathon rather than just trying to figure out how to do a simple martial arts stance.  
  
"Listen, you're trying too hard." He said gently. "This is supposed to be easy." He sighed, closed his eyes and counted to ten, giving them both time to recover themselves. "Relax, and watch me one more time."  
  
"Having a firm stance is key." He repeated. "Everything else you learn builds on the strength of your stance. If your stance is weak, you have nothing." He opened his eyes, calmer now that he was on familiar ground. "The stance we're working on is the..." he paused and cursed that he flushed every time he'd had to name the stance, "cat stance."  
  
He waited but Tooru had managed to school her features after the first time he'd said it some hours ago. The first time she'd smiled widely, and he'd gone bright, bright red. Now she just stared at him in concentration, watching him settle into the stance.  
  
He'd considered starting her off with the horse stance. But imagining her in the square, spread leg squatting stance, or worse, having to help her assume it, made him decide to start off with the cat stance despite it's annoying name. He rested most of his weight on his back leg and brought his knee up with just a little of his weight resting on the ball of the foot of his front leg, explaining each step as he went. He straightened his back and brought his arms back, fisted hands palms up and even with his hips. "From this stance it's easy to kick and to block." He said, finishing up the lecture he'd repeated over and over during their work out session.  
  
He felt calmer already. It was interesting to see something he was so familiar with from this new angle as a teacher. Cat stance was like second nature to him. It had felt weird to re-examine it all over again, to really have to think about it and break it down step by step.  
  
He straightened and took a deep breath, preparing for what was coming next. "Okay, now you try."  
  
Tooru's face was schooled into a scowl of concentration, and Kyou gave an internal sigh. Her shoulders were tight, making them bowed as she tried to get the exact angle he'd had with them. Her arms were rigid and he could almost see her fingernails digging into her palms her fists were so tight. Her feet looked like they were placed right at first glace. But she was so tense that it was forcing her to lean forward, placing most weight on her front leg instead of her rear. Barely a minute after assuming the stance and he could already see her front leg beginning to tremble.  
  
He sighed and circled around her. The first couple of dozen times she'd tried to assume the stance he'd given her a gentle push to the shoulder to show her how unbalanced she was. A normal student would have shifted their weight to the back foot in order to keep from falling over.  
  
Tooru's PJs would be un-wearable tonight. They were coated with heavy splotches of mud from where she'd fallen to the ground when he'd pushed at her shoulder. The first couple times it had surprised him, each time he'd given that gentle push to her shoulder he'd thought for sure that *this* time she'd know to lean on her back leg and be able to keep her footing. She'd fall to the ground and he'd panic leaping after her to lift her up, checking for injuries and yelling about how stupid that was to fall again. She'd apologized and promised to try harder.  
  
He'd show her the stance and it'd start all over. After he'd finally realized that she would fall no matter how many times he'd pushed at her, he'd changed tactics. He still pushed but prepared for her tipping over, he'd grabbed at her clothes so that she wouldn't fall completely over. That had worked until he noticed that she was developing an angry red bruise and overlapping welts on her neck. The cloth of her shirt had been biting painfully into her skin from supporting her weight. He'd yelled at her again for not telling him what was happening. She'd apologized and promised to try harder.  
  
So now he was at his last resort. He stopped as he stood just behind her. He placed his hands on her shoulders. She flinched under his hands and he took a calming breath waiting for her to relax under his touch.  
  
"You're too tense." He said finally, his voice sounding funny to his own ears. "You'd hurt yourself if you tried to move too quickly." He could feel her shoulders tense and then relax as he called attention to them. Trying to focus on the lesson instead of the heat from her body seeping into hands chilled by the cool mountain air, he forced himself to continue.  
  
"Your shoulders should be at an angle, so that your chest is protected from attack." He gently guided her shoulders into position. He swallowed heavily. "Your hips..." He started and then moved his hands down, just barely skimming his fingers over the fabric of her pj's, not quite touching. His hands settle lightly on her hips, and he was uncomfortably reminded how closely this resembled a lover's embrace.  
  
If he stepped forward an inch he'd be able to feel her body's heat through her pajamas, and he'd be able to slide his hands around to hold her. Instead he turned his head, feeling like the heat from his face surely radiating into the back of her skull and giving him away. "Your hips," He started again and felt her jump under his hands. He'd been silent too long. "Your hips should be aligned with your shoulders, it makes your stance stronger." He gently nudged her hips into place.  
  
"Can you feel how your weight has moved?" He said, his traitorous hands not leaving her hips now that their job had been done. They rested there, waiting for some protest or some excuse to tighten their hold.  
  
"Y-yes." Tooru's voice sounded far away compared to the blood rushing in his ears, but he could hear her hesitancy. Was it because he was touching her? Or because she didn't know where the lesson was leading?  
  
He took a calculated risk and tapped her back leg, now securely holding the bulk of her weight with a toe. "See." He said, amazed that he could get a normal voice out of a throat so tight, "With your weight back here your stance is solid."  
  
He took a deep breath and stepped back, taking his reluctant hands off of her.  
  
Tooru shivered when his hands left her hips and tried to concentrate on what he'd been saying. Having Kyou standing behind her so intimately had been a distraction. It wasn't as if she hadn't been that close to him before, she'd woken up closer to him this morning. And there had been other times when they'd touched, well, almost as much. But today seemed different. There was a strange energy buzzing around him that she couldn't define but was making her skin prickle in response.  
  
It was like standing next to someone who'd been rubbing his feet against a shaggy carpet. You knew they were just crackling with static electricity and the closer they got the more you could feel the shock that was coming. When his hands and skimmed over the cloth down to her hips she could have sworn that her skin reacted to that strange energy right through the cloth, pimpling and making the hair on her arms stand on end.  
  
Now that he had stepped back and that feeling was lessened but not gone completely. She blinked and realized that she wasn't straining to keep her position any more. She didn't feel off balance or like she was going to fall over at a breath of air. Her back foot was solid behind her, her hands relaxed fists at her side. Her breathing had calmed, and she didn't feel like she was 'working' anymore. Did this mean that she was really doing it? She looked up to see Kyou had circled around in front of her and watched him, finding it easy to keep her place and follow him with her eyes. She bit her lip and told herself to remain calm, but she could feel a new sense of excitement bubbling up in her stomach. He got to her side gave her a gentle nudge on the shoulder, his body braced to catch her if she stumbled.  
  
Tooru kept her footing easily. She stood still in shock. She pried open eyes she didn't even remember closing and looked at Kyou in shock.  
  
"Kyou... did I...?" She whispered.  
  
"Yeah..." He straightened out of his crouch, and found a smile stretching across his face. He felt like an idiot but he couldn't keep it off, "You did it!"  
  
Tooru felt a flush of energy fill her tired limbs and she dropped out of the stance and flung her arms up into the air.  
  
"Yay!" She cheered like a little child, even going so far as to hop in place. "I did it! I did it!" She cried punctuating each cry with a jump.  
  
Then the world canted to the side and she felt that too familiar sensation of being flung into the air.  
  
The ground, still mushy from all the excess water they'd gotten, hadn't taken well to her struggles with the cat stance. Without them noticing it, the grass below her feet had gotten slick with pooled up mud and water. All it took was for Tooru's exuberance, the wet grass with a liberal mixing in of a pair of exhausted legs to cause her feet to fly out from underneath her.  
  
Kyou watched in horror as Tooru's feet literally flung out from under her causing her to fall backward. He launched himself forward grabbing desperately for her. They went down in a tangle of limbs. Kyou just managed to get his hand behind her head to protect it from the unforgiving ground, but he had to brace the other one to catch himself to keep from transforming and being of no use at all.  
  
He felt the ground approaching and couldn't help but scrunch his eyes shut, waiting for the impact. He could feel and hear the unforgiving smack as Tooru's back landed *hard* against the wet ground. He heard her grunt with the force of the fall and felt her air whoosh out past him, a warm breath on his face. The collision sent a shock up his arm as his other hand hit and he knew that the arm would be aching and strained for days. He kept his torso from falling into her by sheer force of will as their legs tangled together, his knees whacking hard into the mud.  
  
He opened his eyes in panic when he didn't hear another sound out of her.  
  
"Tooru?" Her face was white and unmoving. "Tooru?!" He brought his legs up underneath himself, his knees resting beside her hips. He held her head cradled in her hand, and shifted so he could take his weight off of his supporting arm. He brought the hand to her cheek. "T-tooru?" He whispered, his voice small and scared. Her eyes were closed and she was so still. God, he thought to himself in a panic, was she even breathing?  
  
Then she took in a huge gasp of air, and her eyes popped open. She flinched at his face just mere inches from hers and her arms came up to brace against his forearms in surprise. She gasped in another breath of air, her body still spasming from the shock of being thrown so hard. "K-kyou-kun?" She managed shakily. "Are you o-ok?"  
  
Kyou felt himself go boneless in relief. Of course she would ask *that* with her first breath, always worrying about someone else before herself. He sagged against her, his chest a handbreadth away from hers and most of his weight supported on an aching elbow. His forehead rested against hers and his body cradled and crouched around her as he tried to contain the rush of relief that she was ok and relatively unharmed.  
  
Tooru concentrated on breathing, she felt like her whole back was one large bruise and she was afraid to move. Then it started to recede and she began to understand the position she was in.  
  
Kyou's forehead was warm and slick against hers and she could feel his soft, soft hair and breath whishing about her face. The heat poured off his body almost making up for the heat that was leeching out of her from the wet ground. His body was intimately molded against hers and her head was cradled against his hand. She shivered, and felt her breathing start to normalize. Her eyes fluttered closed, her body relaxing into the safe feeling of being surrounded by him.  
  
"Tooru." Her eyes fluttered open to see Kyou's vivid crimson eyes searching her face, roiling with an emotion she couldn't place. "Tooru, are you alright?" He asked softly, not moving, his forehead still against hers.  
  
"Y-yes... I think so..." She whispered back her lips making a tremulous, reassuring smile, "Nothing hurts... t-too much." Her whole vision was taken up by those bright, gleaming eyes searching her face.  
  
"Kyo-k-" She started wanting to reassure him, he looked so frightened.  
  
"Tooru." Kyou said, speaking over her fumbling, words tumbling out before he could realize what he was saying, "Tooru, do you still want to be a cat?"  
  
"Wh-" She began, but then his long bridge of a nose was stroking along hers, his lips were gently brushing against hers, in an almost, not-quite kiss. She could feel his breath mingling with hers, but there was no pressure, and their lips barely touched.  
  
"Tooru." He breathed again, and she felt his lips form the word.  
  
"Is this a kiss?" she thought nonsensically. Their lips were touching, but it couldn't quite be called a kiss. Then she felt wet spats of something hitting her arms and she blinked. Looking up and past the enormity of Kyou's eyes on hers she could feel the wet patter of rain beginning to fall on them.  
  
"It's raining." She said, her head turning so that his lips weren't so perfectly fitted over hers any longer. This all seemed suddenly too big to take in. Her mind fixed on the minutiae, the cold wet drops on her arms, the wetness seeping through the back of her clothes all along her body, his breath on her cheek, just to the side of her mouth.  
  
Then he was gone, up and off her in a blink of an eye. He jumped to his feet as agile as his namesake cat.  
  
He didn't look at her as he spoke, "Can you get up? D-don't force yourself if you can't."  
  
"I... I think so." She answered hesitantly. Tooru's breath caught as she started to sit up; she felt like the world still hasn't stopped spinning. What had just happened? Her back protested, but she was able to sit up and then slowly stand. Her legs were exhausted from the hours of attempting to hold the cat stance. She missed Kyou watching her slow progress out of the corner of her eye.  
  
"Go back to the shack." He said shortly. "I'll go get the blankets before they get soaked."  
  
And then he was gone, running away from her. Tooru watched him and then started to slowly shamble towards their little home. Her hand came unbidden to her lips, chasing over where his lips had brushed hers. Her mind was blank, still unable to take it in.  
  
"Tooru," her mind echoed his voice back to her. "Do you still want to be a cat?" She looked blankly at the door to the shack as she reached it and slowly dragged her protesting legs over the threshold. She glanced down the path to the village, suddenly thinking of Yuki for the first time in hours.  
  
She wanted him here; things were all thrown off with him gone. The world was topsy-turvy. Her cheek still tingled where Kyou's breath had brushed up against her and it was more distracting then her tired aching legs or throbbing back. She felt tears pricking in the back of her eyes and didn't even know why they were there, the pain from the fall or the kiss.  
  
"Does that mean I didn't want it happen?" She asked herself, her fingers touching her lips again. She didn't think she'd ever been so aware of that particular piece of anatomy before. But she'd liked it when Kyou was close to her, his warmth surrounding her. But kisses were different. Her head ached as if it had struck the ground instead of being safely supported by Kyou's hand.  
  
She shivered. Her pajamas were soaked with mud all down her back, and her hair was coated with it. She'd best change before Kyou got back. She considered briefly one of her dresses, but she was freezing as it was. The sweatshirt and pants she'd worn earlier to wash in had dried nicely by the fire. They needed to be washed already, so she didn't feel bad putting her dirty body into them. She decided to pin up her disgusting hair for the time being. It was too cold to wash it in the stream, she'd let the mud dry and then brush it out later. She'd wash out the rest with some water heated on the fire before she went to bed.  
  
She heard a rustle at the doorway as she was finishing up and jumped. She looked back and saw Kyou staring at her.  
  
Kyou swallowed and wished he could run away again. He'd gathered up the blankets but had taken his time getting back to the little shack. If he'd been home he'd have gone up to his room and hid, or if it hadn't been raining up to the roof. But here there was nowhere else to go but the shack. The blankets had to be brought in.  
  
Now she stood framed by the fire, in his clothes, looking like she might jump out of her skin if he took another step.  
  
His mouth tasted like ash. He'd ruined everything. Everything. All he'd wanted is to be close to her. Now she'd do just as everyone else had ever done, and he'd be alone again.  
  
He broke his stare and looked away. "Sorry." He said softly, his usual bluster failing him. "I didn't mean to startle you." Now or then his mind added fruitlessly.  
  
Tooru didn't know what to say. She just nodded and made little affirmative noise.  
  
"The blankets?" She said hesitantly when he hadn't moved and his gaze had stayed fixed on the fire. She didn't remember being this uncertain in front of Kyou since the very beginning, not since when she was convinced that he hated her.  
  
"Th-they're a little damp still." He said. "I should lay them out by the fire." He looked at her, wondering what he should to.  
  
"I'll... I'll see what we have for lunch." Tooru said moving as quickly as she could from the fire. They'd forgotten to eat earlier; it was almost time for dinner now.  
  
She bent gingerly down to check their food stores, feeling guilty. She could hear Kyou moving around behind her. The skin on her back crawled with the effort of keeping her in place. She so wanted to peek at him out of the corner of her eye, but she was afraid she'd be caught. Why in the world had he kissed her?  
  
She was plain. And she wasn't smart at all. She was clumsy and weak. She was practically useless. The only thing she could do was cook and clean. Why would someone like Kyou want to kiss someone like her?  
  
She couldn't even pretend it was a brother/sister-like, familial peck. Brothers didn't kiss sisters on the lips.  
  
She picked up the last of the spring vegetables and a knife. They weren't enough to eat by themselves, so she'd add them to their broth. After this they would be out of food.  
  
She looked towards the flapping door. The weather was making it artificially dark outside. It wasn't more than a few hours past noon, but Yuki was still later then they'd been expecting him. She sat the table and began slicing them up. What to worry about first, Kyou's kiss or Yuki's late appearance?  
  
Kyou finished laying out the blankets and finally gave into taking a glance at Tooru. She sat at the table slowly chopping vegetables, her attention focused on the chopping board. He sighed; his head and bones were aching. The weather was bad and going to get worse. He didn't *need* this on top of everything else.  
  
And where was the damn rat? It was getting late. He was supposed to be here by now. Kyou felt trapped. The agreement had been that if Yuki didn't reappear by the third day, that Kyou and Tooru would run. Tooru didn't know, Kyou and Yuki had decided it themselves. They hadn't discussed where; that would be up to Kyou. If something happened, if Yuki was for some reason picked up by the authorities or worse, someone from the family, he wouldn't be able to tell them where they were.  
  
Kyou didn't want to be in charge. For all that he groused about Yuki taking the lead in school, and elsewhere, he didn't want that responsibility. He glanced at Tooru again. He didn't want to be the one that had to tell her they had to go and leave him behind.  
  
And after today, would she even go with him?  
  
"Argh." He groaned and slammed his fist against the ground. He didn't want to think about this.  
  
"K-kyou-kun?" Tooru asked hesitantly. "Are you alright?" She swallowed and put the knife down so the shaking of her hand wouldn't be as obvious. He sounded like he was in so much pain. Her heart was still reeling from earlier, but kiss or no, Kyou was still her friend.  
  
Kyou couldn't look at her. "I'm fine. It's just... the rain..." he lied. He *wished* it was just the rain. Instead it was that he'd destroyed what little good he'd had in his life, all for one stupid kiss. It hadn't even been much of a kiss. He hadn't even gotten to hold her properly...  
  
He shook his head trying to clear such thoughts from it. Tooru wouldn't let him anywhere near now, he was sure of it. "I'm... I'm going to lay down."  
  
"You... you should change first." She said as he started to crawl into the bed. "And wash up a little..."  
  
Kyou looked at himself, his clothes were spattered with mud, especially his legs. His arms were streaked with it. He glanced at the blankets he'd gathered and laid by the fire. There were a few spots here and there, but they were still mostly clean. The bedding on their pallets wouldn't be if he got into bed the way he was. He sighed heavily, almost considering curling up on the floor rather than going to the effort of getting clean.  
  
"I'll heat some water." Tooru said, making the decision for him. She couldn't think about what had happened earlier. There wasn't anything left to do with dinner. She couldn't do anything for Yuki where ever he was, but this she could do. She could heat some water.  
  
"I'll change." Kyou said slowly. He shambled over to their meager pile of belongings and dragged out a mismatched pair of clothes and one of their ragged towels. He tore it in half and forced himself to go over to the fire. Tooru had pulled the teakettle off the fire and was pouring it out into two shallow bowls. She looked up as Kyou sat down across from her.  
  
"I... I thought I'd clean up too." She said softly her hands making fists in her lap. He could see that she'd washed her hands already, probably before she started making dinner. But Kyou's quick eyes picked up the flecks of dirt on her face, streaked up her arms and he glanced down and saw how filthy her feet where.  
  
"Un." He managed. He handed her the other half of the towel. She took it barely glancing at him. He dipped his rag into the water and began with his face. He could feel the warmth of the fire seeping into him. The silence stretched between them broken only by the sound of the rain beginning to pound harder on the roof of the shack.  
  
*** Yuki stomped a head of Kin, his anger making his strides long and quick. The shopping bags banged against his legs. The only thing he was pleased about was that he was almost finished and could finally escape this frustrating woman's presence.  
  
"What's left to get?" Kin asked jogging to keep up. She knew she'd pressed too hard in the clothing store. It was a bad habit of hers, and one that got her on the bad side of a lot of people. She hadn't made it any better by teasing Yuki almost constantly since then. It was just that he was so very easy to fluster.  
  
After the clothing store they'd dropped by the store she worked at to drop off the dresses and the purchases he'd made from the previous night while they went grocery shopping. Yuki had been trying to be frugal with his food purchases, but Kin couldn't lay off.  
  
She'd teased when he'd looked a little too long at a bouquet of flowers. Asked if he was planning to propose to his bride. She'd teased when he'd looked at a set of dishes, pricing them out. They'd need them when they got wherever they ended up going. She'd asked if he was furnishing a love nest, and suggested the matching pair of chopsticks. She teased when they went past the isle with the prophylactics, reminding him he'd need them for his 'wedding night.' Then she'd laughed when he'd gone scarlet. His ears burned just from the memory.  
  
He'd never even thought of doing anything like that with Honda-san. Or at least, not for very long or with a lot of detail...or at least not very often. He'd known for a long time that thoughts like that wouldn't, couldn't, lead anywhere. Why torture himself? And now everything that Kin said made him things that couldn't be. A Tooru who lived just for him, a small house somewhere with just the two of them in it, those things would never be true.  
  
"Nothing, all I have to do is pick up my other packages. I can manage them fine by myself." He said, finally stopping and turning to face Kin.  
  
"Well if we're done, why don't we get some lunch?" Kin said, breathing a little heavy. "My treat, for being such a pest."  
  
"No," he said shortly. "Thank you," he said out of habit, good manners had been ingrained deep into him. "I need to be getting back." He'd been conservative with the groceries, mindful that he'd have to carry them back by himself. He'd bought a small bag of rice, a bag of apples, some cabbage and some other vegetables. It was enough to get them through another week. By then they'd be ready to leave.  
  
He'd been shocked at how much everything cost. He'd gone shopping before, of course. But that had been when money had been unlimited and they could buy anything they wanted without thinking of it. Now he was counting out coins and figuring how much was left up in the shack. His quick mind kept running through equations as if this was all some complicated test. If it cost this much to feed them every week, and this was without buying fish or meat, how long could they live on what they had left? That didn't even figure in costs like rent, and furnishings.  
  
"C'mon, it's late for lunch... I know you have to be hungry. And I've been a real pain, let me apologize." Kin said gesturing to a restaurant across the street. "C'mon when was the last time you had a good big serving of oden?"  
  
Yuki's stomach growled at the thought. He hesitated for just a moment, and Kin pounced on his indecision.  
  
"I bet it's a long walk where you're going. Bet by the time you get there your girl and your friend will have eaten already... Then it'll just be apples for lunch. You'd rather have apples for lunch then eat oden will me?"  
  
Yuki sighed. Actually what would happen is that Tooru and Kyou would have eaten. Then when he got there, hours late, Tooru would insist on cooking something else for just him. Then Kyou would point out his selfishness... and they'd bicker, but tired, sick, Tooru would still cook.  
  
"Fine... Thank you." Yuki signed. "But I'll pay." He still felt guilty eating oden when Tooru and Kyou would have to make do with scraps, but he'd be back soon with fresh food for dinner. He probably shouldn't be wasting money by buying lunch for himself much less Kin, but he did owe her something for her help after all.  
  
"Have it your way." Kin shrugged and lead the way across the street.  
  
Yuki followed behind shaking his head, after lunch he could leave. He was having serious second thoughts about leaving their cozy little shack. He'd gotten used to not having to deal with other people. If one thing today had been impressed over and over, it was that people would have questions about them where ever they settled down. They might not be as straightforward as Kin. But they would still have questions, how would they explain themselves?  
  
They were quickly seated at a table and it wasn't long till their food was served. To Yuki's relief they managed to eat in a companionable silence that allowed his thoughts to wander. His mind went back to its calculations. He'd been hoping that the money they had left would let them be able to live a month or even two without having to have a job. That hope was dwindling as he watched the sum get nickel and dime-d down to nothing. He didn't even have any idea what it cost to rent an apartment still.  
  
"Kin-san." He said, his head coming up as he realized he had an untapped resource sitting across from him. "If you don't mind my asking..." He started diffidently.  
  
"After all the questions I've asked today?" Kin blinked at him, "You think you have to ask? Ask anything you want."  
  
Yuki coughed politely ignoring how very true that was, "How much do you pay for your apartment?"  
  
Kin blinked at him and named a figure.  
  
Yuki put his chopsticks down. That much? That much for that tiny place? Their shack was bigger.  
  
Kin seemed to mistake his amazement. "I know, good deal huh? But that's partially because there's no bath in the building. I have to go to the public baths. But that's not so bad it's just down the street, and it's cheap. The water is metered too; you only get so much hot water before it shuts off. But since it's not like I'm showering in it, it's not a big deal." She waved a hand dismissively.  
  
Yuki just blinked at her. Not all apartments came with baths? Not all *buildings* came with bathing arrangements? "I was lucky to get the place at all." Kin confided. "I barely managed to scrounge the security deposit."  
  
"Security deposit?" Yuki said, a little breathless.  
  
"Yeah, coming up with half a month's rent wasn't easy. But I was real lucky they'd rent to me at all. Young girl my age, they usually tell you just to go home. And some have all sorts of decency standards and won't rent to kids, or people they think are 'trouble-makers.'" She tugged on her blond bleached hair. Yuki could imagine that she was probably turned away from several places for just having the Yankee look.  
  
What would potential landlords think of the three of them? Two guys and a girl living together, that wouldn't do to well for places that had decency standards. And Kyou's red hair might be marked against them too; it was a common color among street gangs. They wouldn't know that it was natural. This was so much more complicated then he thought. And this was for an apartment here in the middle of nowhere. If they went to back to a city, where it would be easier to blend in for all of them, surely things would be more expensive still.  
  
The figure in his head was subtracted down sharply. It looked like they would have no cushion at all. They'd have to get jobs and start working immediately once they settled down.  
  
He sighed and finished up his udon. He thought he and Kyou would have to get jobs, but he'd hoped that at least Tooru would be able to just attend school for a little while. He'd been planning it like a little surprise in his mind. He'd explain that he and Kyou would support her for a while so that she could settle into school without worries. She'd protest, and argue, but then finally smile and thank him. She'd smile a smile that would be just for him, just because of his planning and foresight. That little secret dream had just died. He paid for their meal once Kin was finished.  
  
They gathered together his packages and headed out of the restaurant. Yuki felt a splat hit his hand and looked up taking a quick step back under the awning. Raining! It wasn't raining too hard yet, but the sky was darkening rapidly. He grimaced. His walk home had just gotten very unpleasant.  
  
"You want to hang around till it stops?" Kin asked, "You can hang in the store, Boss won't mind. You can stay over again if it stays bad."  
  
"No." Yuki said, thinking that getting a little wet would be preferable to being trapped in the convenience store with Kin for who knows how long. "I have to get back... they're expecting me." And if he didn't get back by tonight he might not be able to find them again. If Kyou followed the plan, they'd run, and if Kyou was smart someplace that Yuki would never think to look for them.  
  
Kin could tell by looking that now wasn't the time to press that he stay. His face was grim and closed. They ran for the store trying to dodge the raindrops and to keep the groceries in relatively good shape.  
  
When they got to the store they were in for a surprise. Kin's boss, a portly older man, was waiting outside for them. He stood under the awning looking up at the rapidly darkening sky with bushy brows in a tight, worried vee. The 'closed' sign was already up and the store was dark.  
  
He looked up at their approach. "Good Kin, you're early. I was waiting." He glanced curiously at Yuki. Feeling cautious, the mouse just ducked his head pulling his cap further over his expressive unusual eyes. He didn't want to be remembered by adults. Adults talked to other adults, and when the Soumas were seeking you, you didn't want to be remembered by someone who talked.  
  
Having long gotten used to ignoring the strange behaviors of Kin's hoodlum friends, the shopkeeper just shook his head and turned back to Kin.  
  
"Go home, I'm not going to need you tonight." He held up his hand to forestall and complaint. "I know you need the money, come in early tomorrow if you can get here, I'm sure we'll have plenty of cleanup to do."  
  
"What are you talking about, Boss?" Kin said fighting with her ponytail in the high winds that were kicking up.  
  
"Storm's a coming." He said, "Nasty one too by the news reports." They all turned to look at the sky and Yuki frowned. The storms were a dark and angry purple on the horizon and it was rapidly getting darker. It was just a few hours past noon, but the sky made it look like evening.  
  
"Storm?" Yuki repeated. Kyou had said that the mountains protected them against storms.  
  
"Yeah, we don't get 'em often." The shopkeeper shrugged, "But this ones a doozy. Hear tell it's been causing havoc all up and down the coast, hurricane, typhoon or some such. Usually that doesn't make much of a difference to us up here. Storm looses all it's spirit having to fight this far inland. But this one's managed to hang on." He looked back at Kin, "They're predicting hurricane force winds and torrential downpours." He jerked a thumb at the storefront. "No use in keeping the store open, no one's going to be out tonight. Bet there's going to be a righteous mess to clean up in the morning though. The roof already leaks."  
  
"Shit." Kin said succinctly. "Well, Souma it looks like you're staying the night after all."  
  
"No, I've got to get back." Yuki's voice held a note of panic. If he didn't return, would Kyou be stupid enough to try to leave in the middle of a storm? He didn't think so, but then leaving during a storm would be the perfect way to hide their tracks.  
  
"What are you nuts?" Kin said placing her hands on his shoulders and trying to peer in his face, "didn't you hear him? Torrential downpour! Hurricane winds! Look if it's your friends you're worried about you can bring them here, it'll be a tight fit but we can manage it for one night."  
  
"No, there's no time." He pushed forward into the store, past the shopkeeper. Torrential downpours, hurricane winds. The shack was barely standing as it was! He had to warn them. He pulled out a few medicines from the bag, the rental and map listings and thrust them into a bag with the bare essentials of the groceries, rice and apples. He ran back out leaving the rest of the groceries and packages in a pile. "I'll leave the clothes and the rest here with you. I'll be back for them in a couple days."  
  
There was no use dragging the clothes up there just to have them ruined. And they'd just have to leave sooner then planned, the rest of the groceries would have to be for traveling. He had to travel light, he had to get up the mountain and get Kyou and Tooru prepared for the storm.  
  
"Souma!" Kin called after him. "Don't be insane! You'll get yourself killed."  
  
"I won't be killed so easy!" He smiled fatalistically. "They're expecting me, I've got to get back." He waved to her. "Thanks for everything!"  
  
He turned back and focused on the path ahead of him. He began pelting at full speed up towards the edge of the town clutching his bag of meager groceries and medicine. Stupid cat, he thought irreverently. Didn't he get anything right? First the hostel was closed, now this monster storm on the mountain that didn't get storms. Baka Neko, he better live through it so he could kick his ass proper.  
  
"Jesus, that kid is fast!" Kin breathed. She gave a silent hope that he made it to his friends safe. She thought about the kind girl he was so worried about, and his mysterious rival, 'not-friend' hidden somewhere waiting for him. She hoped they all came out safe.  
  
* * * 


	17. Storm Part 1

_Author's Note: Hi! I know I said it wouldn't be a year... but I lied. It was a year and 2 days... and to be honest I don't consider this chapter finished. I know it seems like it's been a long time since I've updated, but the truth is for me I'm always writing so it never seems like as long as it is. I've decided to post in smaller chunks instead of sitting on what I've written for... well a year. I thought I'd be able to finish this chapter by this weekend, but that didn't happen. And I got a new project at work that's going to interfere with me finishing it this week, so since I did reach a good stopping point I decided to post this. Sorry for the wait, and it **definitely** won't be as long the till the next chapter._

_-Merrow _

Yuki stumbled over a root and pushed his sodden hair out of his eyes for the thousandth time. He straightened, leaning against a tree and trying to get his bearings. He'd jammed the red hat into the bag with the apples after it had blown off the third time. He'd lost his hair tie when he'd tripped over an exposed root and his hair flung free. He'd decided not to root around in the mud for it, but he was regretting that now. The rain plastered it uncomfortably to his head and the wind kept slapping it into his face and mouth.

He could feel his lungs laboring and he could just imagine the lecture Hatori would have given him if he could see him now. He felt a certain sadistic satisfaction that he could feel no imminent attack coming on. He looked around, trying to find the path he'd lost some hours ago. It was practically black in the forest now, even though it couldn't have been much past two or three in the afternoon.

He shivered and clutched at his stomach. The paper bag holding the apples had begun to disintegrate in the rain, so he'd stuffed it and the other groceries under his sweatshirt to protect it. He was sure the apples were bruised and he wasn't sure what the rice was going to be like by the time he got to the little cabin, if he ever got there.

"Some 'prince' I am now." He muttered. He had no idea where he was. The ground was so uneven he couldn't even tell if he was going up or down the mountain. If this were a fairy tale, with him as the prince, this is where he'd meet the evil witch in the dark forest... or a good fairy that would lead him to the princess. He sighed and started walking again, there weren't any fairies or witches in this forest.

He knew all the rules. He was good at rules. He knew that if you were lost in the woods that you should stay in one place and let someone find you. The problem was that there was no one who would look for him. He picked a direction at random and began walking. Either he'd come across the path, the shack or the town...he hoped.

He was beginning to regret insisting on returning. He was having a hard time navigating through this storm. With the way a simple rainstorm effected Kyou, there was no way he'd consider leaving in this kind of weather. Yuki tried to ignore the nibbling sense of worry about how a severe storm like this would effect the cat. Would he be in actual pain? Would one of the pain relievers he had in the bag help?

Yuki shook his hair out of his eyes. When did he start caring if the cat was in pain or not? I don't. I don't, he insisted to himself. But a tiny voice in the back of his head called him a liar.

If he hadn't stepped on the mouse he probably would have never known it was there. It gave an ungodly shriek something that small should not have been able to make. He leapt back, banging his shoulder hard against a tree. He looked down at where it stared accusingly up at him.

"I'm sorry." He said, his heart thudding in his chest like it was trying to escape. "I didn't see you there." The mouse ran in a little circle, away and then back again looking up at him. Its fur was matted and coated in mud. He couldn't imagine what the little creature was doing out in this weather.

It ran back up to him and then forward again, looking up to him.

"Look you," Yuki said exasperated, cold, and wet. He didn't have time for this. "Don't you have a family? Little ones waiting at home? You should get back to them."

The mouse gave a little indignant squeak and bit him on the ankle.

Yuki yelped and nearly dropped his packages as he hopped on one foot. "What in the world?"

The mouse ran away from him again and back and then looked at him expectantly. Like a bolt of lightening understanding hit him. "You want me to follow you?" He blinked at the little gray mouse as began running away again it paused and he took a step forward. The mouse ran forward and he continued to follow it. For all he knew it was leading him to some hidey-hole in the woods, or a cache of walnuts, but he hoped that it was taking him to the little cabin.

"It's not a fairy," He muttered trying to keep sight of the little creature as the rain drove right into his eyes, "but it will do. Okay... lead me home." He didn't stop to think when he'd started thinking of the little shack, with Tooru and Kyou waiting in it as home.

:0:0:0:0:

Tooru jumped as the blanket across the door blew in with a gust of wind. It was pegged to the top of the doorway with a nail, but the force of the wind was pushing it straight in spraying half the room with rain.

Kyou dragged himself up, grunting with effort. This storm was bad, and going to get worse. He could tell by the way he felt. It was like he was being dragged down by some great magnetic force. He grabbed the rock he used as a hammer and tried to jump to catch the flapping blanket. It was being pushed up to the roof with the force of the wind. He sighed as his fingers missed it by just a hairsbreadth. If he didn't feel so crappy it would be nothing to catch it. Now it felt like he was trying to leap over a mountain just to jump high enough to catch the blanket's edge.

He tried again and paused to catch his breath, resting his hands on he knees. He shuddered, the rain and cold wind sluicing over him unimpeded. He was too tired to move out of the way. He saw a movement out of the corner of his eye and started.

Tooru jumped and grabbed a hold of the edge of the blanket and held it to the ground. She glanced at Kyou expectantly. He placed the rock next to her hands, pinning the blanket in place. He dragged his hands slowly off the rock resisting the urge to cover her hands with his.

He'd given up his rights to that kind of contact this afternoon. He'd ruined it all for one crappy kiss.

The force of the wind pushed in the blanket rolling the rock off almost immediately and flinging the blanket up into their faces. Kyou sighed and rested his head against the rough floorboards heedless of the wind and rain that poured back in.

Tooru grabbed the blanket again and pushed it down, fighting the gale the whole time. Kyou roused himself enough to grab it and hold it once she'd gotten it to the floor. He rested his arms against it and turned wearily to the girl.

"The table." He managed.

"Eh?" Tooru asked still holding the edge worried that Kyou might move and it would fly away again.

"The rocks." Kyou felt like he was at some high altitude, just getting enough air to breathe and talk seemed like too much effort. Is this what Yuki felt like during his attacks? No wonder he transformed. "The table...rocks...big rocks." He felt like his mind was clouded over too, like there was a thick film separating him from the rest of the world.

"Oh!" Tooru looked at their makeshift table. The tall heavy rocks would surely be enough to hold the blanket in place. She looked at Kyou, he was shuddering with the effort of keeping the blanket in place. He was half laying on it, soaking his already damp shirt with the heavy contact. "I'm going now." She warned him. He gave him a slight nod and leaned a little more forward, firmly pinning down the blanket with his weight.

She rushed over to the table and lifted off the boards they'd been using as a tabletop. She put two hands under a rock. She couldn't lift it far off the ground, but she managed to crab walk it over. "K-kyou-kun... move please." She gasped and dropped the rock almost where his head had been.

Kyou was sprawled out on the floor. He'd managed to move fast enough to avoid the rock, but that was the last of his energy. He stayed there just concentrating on breathing as Tooru walked back to the table.

She managed to drag, pull and lift two other rocks to firmly secure the blanket in place. It still ballooned out with the force of the wind, and the rain and damp got in around the sides, but it wasn't showering the whole room any more.

Kyou wanted to tell Tooru that she should go back by the hearth, near the back wall or the bed. It was the furthest away from the blowing wind and doorway and probably the driest spots in the whole shack. But he couldn't get the energy to pass the air through his vocal chords. Instead he watched out of the corner of his eye as Tooru bustled around wall by the door, clearing their clothes and belongings from the path of the wind. He closed his eyes and tried to pull himself together. He'd never been effected this badly by a storm. It must be that this storm was a bad one; the deep ache in his bones just told him it was going to get worse.

She paused as she finished the last of it, scratching at her pinned up hair. It was nearly dry now and it itched something awful. Her brow furrowed, she didn't have time to worry about something so ...inconsequential. She kneeled down next to the suffering cat.

"Kyou-kun..." She said softly, her voice thick with sympathy. She'd lost her fear and confusion over his kiss as she'd watched him pale and sicken before her eyes at the onset of the storm.

The rain had started slowly, but had soon picked up force. Kyou had been cleaning the mud off his arms and legs, but his movements had slowed as the rain began to pour harder. Tooru had cleaned as much of herself as she was able. She scraped off the mud on the back of her neck and using the cloth to clean off as much as she could reach up the arm holes of the sweatshirt.

She'd looked up when she heard Kyou's rag plop into his bowl. His head was bowed and his hand was limp in his lap. The other supported his weight. He looked like he was going to fall over.

"Kyou-kun?" She's started to reach for him but he straightened, refusing to look her in the eye.

"I-I'm fine... it's just...the weather." He stammered. He couldn't look at her. He couldn't bear to see that fear and the distance that would be in her eyes now. He wished this storm would just wash him from the face of the earth.

He'd left the dirty rag in the bowl and slid his heavy body over to the back of the cabin, where the wall had warmed from the heat of the hearth. He'd closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep, knowing he was only delaying the inevitable. Soon the ruse had become truth and he'd been asleep. He hadn't woken till the blanket over the door had blown in.

He shook as a particularly strong blast of wind rocked the cabin and made an eerie whistling noise as it rushed between the edges of the blanket and the doorframe. He turned on his side and curled into a fetal position. He refused to open his eyes even though he knew Tooru hovered over him worriedly.

He wanted desperately to crawl into their bed. But he felt grimy and wet and didn't want to dirty the bed she'd have to sleep in. He'd already tainted her enough with his own touch. He'd given her enough reasons to hate him.

He gave a little gasp as he felt a blanket settle over him. He squeezed his eyes shut against the temptation to look at her hopefully. He trembled as he felt her little hands tucking the blanket firmly around him. He heard her walk away from him and his throat tightened as he imagined her crossing the room to put distance between them before she settled herself.

"Kyou-kun."

Her footsteps returned until she was standing just next to his head. He didn't move, he couldn't remember ever being so scared. He'd always known that all...all..._this_...couldn't last. He'd known that he'd end up alone, but he wanted nothing more right now then to have just one more day. If he could just keep his eyes closed he wouldn't have to admit that it was over. He wouldn't have to hear her say that tomorrow she expected him to go.

"Kyou-kun..." Tooru voice was pleading. He heard a rustle of clothes and her voice neared as she kneeled at his head. "Please, Kyou-kun, the floor is so rough, please lift your head."

Kyou felt his eyes open against his will. He rolled his eyes to look at her. She sat just above him and her hands a little spread above her knees.

"When...whenever I was ill..." She said softly, her eyes downcast and not meeting his, "Mother would have me rest on her knee. It made me feel so much better." She looked up at him and finally met his eye. "Please Kyou-kun, the floor is so hard and cold, won't you please...?" She patted her knee hesitantly.

Kyou got his arm under himself and levered himself up a little to shout at her to go away. Didn't she understand that this was killing him? **She'd** kill him this way, pretending that he could have these kinds of things despite of what he was. He'd die. But he couldn't get the words to come out. If he really said those things then he'd lose her forever. He closed his eyes against the tears threatening to break free and his arm trembled with the force of trying to keep him just a few mere inches.

She misinterpreted his struggle and edged forward turning a little to get her folded legs under his head. She ran her fingers through his hair and pulled the blanket forward to more firmly cover him. She leaned forward and he could feel her stomach curling around his head as she smoothed and re-tucked the blanket.

She looked down at the red-haired boy in her lap. His eyes were closed again, and his face was screwed up as if he was in pain. The wind blew hard against the shack and the whole thing creaked alarmingly. She shuddered despite the fact she'd put her jacket on already. She felt like she was going to cry she was so scared.

Yuki was missing somewhere out in that wind and rain. She hoped he was in shelter somewhere, her thoughts were too scattered and panicked to imagine him out in this. And Kyou was suffering so badly. She ran a hand absently though his hair and she felt him flinch at her touch.

She swallowed and picked up the hairbrush she'd gotten before she sat down. "Kyou-kun has some mud still in his hair. I'll brush it out for you..."

She ran her fingers through the hair first, dislodging a couple of larger clumps. She followed through gently with the brush. She felt him tense and relax with every stroke, just like a cat being petted. Each time she brushed through he became a little less tense before the next one until he was just a slightly flinching as the brush ran through.

"I used to love when Mother brushed my hair." Tooru said softly, in almost a whisper. "It feels good, doesn't it?" She concentrated on the brush tenderly whisking through the soft hair, long since freed of any mud, instead of the creaking, whistling shack around her.

"W..why?" Kyou's voice was cracked and painful sounding.

Tooru's hand hesitated for a moment, like she was going to stop. He thought his heart might stop if she did. It started moving again and his heart continued to beat. "I don't know... I guess maybe the rhythm makes it feel good? And I think everyone likes to be petted now and then." She gave a little shrug moved the brush to the hair on the crown and back of his head. "I don't think it really matters, as long as it feels good."

"No..." He rasped. She felt him struggle as if to move off her lap and she moved her free hand to his shoulder to hold him in place. "Why... why are you doing this...?" he finally managed.

"Because I thought it would make Kyou-kun feel better." Tooru said uncertainly. The brush stilling in her hand, her other hand came up to the back of his neck to keep the blanket close. "I'm sorry, am I causing you pain? I'll-" She started pulling the brush out of his hair gently.

"Noooo." Kyou moaned ashamed that his brain and his mouth seemed to have disconnected, "Don't. Don't stop. Please." His hands were white-knuckled, clutching the blanket. She quickly regained her slow tender rhythm and he was ashamed all over again how his whole body seemed to go boneless at her touch.

Tooru hands shook a little as she continued to brush. She'd never seen Kyou this vulnerable before, not ever. It was more then a little frightening to see the always brash and loud Kyou reduced to this.

"Why..." She could almost feel the words more then she could hear them. They were a warm breath on her thigh that made her shiver a little. "How can you... still want to be near me?" He felt like he was going to be sick. He shouldn't have said anything. Now she'd be gone for sure.

He felt the brush slide out of his hair and clatter to the floor. He expected any moment for the hands to leave too, and her warmth. He'd always known that he'd end up alone somewhere, it might as well be here. Then he could just let this storm wash him away.

He gasped as he felt her curl over him, her stomach over his head and her arms folding around his shoulders. He could feel her hair cascade over the blanket as her forehead rested on her arms.

"Why?" She said softly, understanding now why he'd looked so scared. She remembered being left alone, and feeling like she didn't have anyone. She remembered looking at the empty apartment that she and her mother had shared. "Because Kyou-kun is my friend."

"How...can you...say that?" He'd seen her face after he'd kissed her, shocked and scared. He knew that that meant it was over. "After...after..."

"I was so happy when Kyou-kun agreed to teach me martial arts." She said after a long pause where they both listened to the whole cabin shudder and creak. "I was so happy because I felt like I was getting closer to Kyou-kun, and getting to know him better." She sniffled. "But when Kyou-kun..." she stumbled over the word. "K...kissed me... I realized that I didn't understand or know Kyou-kun very well at all."

"It surprised me. I don't understand why you would want to kiss a person like me." Tooru tried to sort out her own confused feelings as she spoke. "I'm not pretty. I'm not very good at anything in particular. I'm not smart." Kyou felt her hands clench in the blanket over him. "I don't understand, and I don't know what I'm supposed to do."

"You... You're supposed to _hate_ me..." Kyou said tears leaking out of the corner of his eyes despite his best efforts. She couldn't understand why he'd want to kiss her? She was an idiot. "You're supposed to leave me alone."

"I could never hate Kyou-kun!" Tooru said, shocked. "All I've ever wanted is to know and understand Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun better. Everything I learn makes me want to know more." She whispered the next, admitting it to herself for the first time. "I didn't dislike Kyou-kun's kiss."

She hadn't disliked it; she just couldn't wrap her mind around why he would have... And it hadn't been what she'd expected a kiss to be like, much less her first kiss. She hadn't thought about it much, but when she had thought about her first, it hadn't with been with her flat on her back, soaked in mud and in pain.

Despite all that, it hadn't been that bad. Just remembering it made her the skin on her nose tingle where Kyou's had rubbed down the bridge and her lips prickle. She could still almost feel his breath mingling with hers.

She was brought back to the present when she felt his hands clench in the length of her jacket. He'd curled in on himself below the blanket, hiding his face from her. She could feel his body shaking.

She remembered another dark night when she'd been sad, confused and in tears. "Kyou-kun," she whispered into the blankets mimicking words he'd said to her more than once, "You don't always have to be strong either."

Kyou gave a great shudder and went slack under her arms. For a moment she wondered if he was breathing. Then there was a weak chuckle.

"Idiot." She heard him mutter.

:0:0:0:


	18. Storm Part 2 and Recovery

_I have to say, this is the first chapter I've ever been so nervous about posting. You can't imagine the number of re-writes that went into it and I'm still not sure about it. I am very open to criticism and would love to know if anyone sees anything amiss in this chapter. I've read over it so many times it's kind of blending together. It's huge chapter, combining chapter 17a and 18 together. I'm trying to schedule time every day to write, and have got partial chapters of Full Course, Spotted and Belated Gift 2 in the works. Sorry I'm so slow... - Merrow _

It was hard keeping track of the little gray body in the darkness of the forest. It was like watching a fish dart through water, little silver flashes reflected off the mouse's fur from the little light made it through the trees. It maneuvered along the roots and rocks like it was swimming. It was all Yuki could do to keep up. He'd lost a few apples the last time he'd stumbled. They flew out from under his shirt with a sick splat into the mud. He hadn't even paused to look, intent on not losing his little gray streak of a guide. His hand throbbed from an earlier slam into a tree. He wasn't even sure that it was a tree that he'd run into, he couldn't take the risk of taking his eyes off the mouse. If he lost it...he furrowed his brow. He wouldn't lose it.

The whole situation had become surreal. It felt like he'd been running through the darkness for hours. His legs felt like lead and he alternated between being frozen by the blowing winds and rain and hot flashes of pain as different parts of his body protested this extended sprint.

The trees melted away and he stopped dead in panic. He must've blinked, or perhaps passed his hand in front of his eyes to push his hair away, or something because he'd lost it. The mouse was gone. He looked around trying to find a hint of it. He was so soaked, and his clothes so plastered to his body, that it felt like the rain sluicing down on him was stinging at his skin. He couldn't see through the rain, his hair and the dark.

There was a flash out of the corner of his eye, golden this time, and he turned towards it instinctively. He blinked almost convulsively, trying to keep the rain out of his eyes just long enough to make sense out of what was in front of him. There were little pin-pricks of light, dots and dashes too small to create a cohesive shape out of. There was a gust of wind from behind him and a bright golden sickle appeared confusing him until his fatigued brain figured out what is was.

It was the door to the shack, he was seeing light coming out around the blanket they used to block the wind. Those little pin-pricks of light were those constant little holes Kyo was always trying to fix and plug.

Home, he was home...

His feet had begun moving before his brain had fully realized what he was seeing. He crashed into the sodden cloth, confused when it didn't immediately push aside. His foot found one of the heavy table rocks and he fell over it and into the blindingly lit room. He landed hard, flat on his stomach, unable to even get a hand up to stop his fall. Apples and rice went everywhere, rolling about the room as if Yuki exploded. Mindless of the wind and rain pouring over him, turning the already damp floor into a puddle, he lay still. He was almost afraid to look up, afraid to what he might see or not see. He levered one of his arms below him, pressing against a hand flat against the ground, his other hand still curled protectively around his stomach out of habit.

"Yuki-kun!"

His head whipped up and he drank in the sight of Tooru sitting near the hearth. He barely noticed that Kyou's head was pillowed in her lap, other then to note that the cat was there too. He quickly lowered his head, not wanting her to see the tears swimming in his eyes. He wouldn't cry in front of her, not even out of relief. It would only worry her. He struggled to get to his knees, finding it a little hard to breathe around the lump in his throat.

After one heartbeat, maybe two, Tooru moved to go to Yuki. She'd been shocked into stillness by his sudden entrance. She felt Kyou shift and remembered the precarious position she was holding his head in her lap. She looked down and saw he was weakly holding himself up so she could move.

"Go on," he rasped, not looking at her. "One of the towels by the fire should be dry by now."

She gave a distracted nod and left him huddled beneath his blankets. She hurried to get a towel from the fire and turned back to Yuki. He was sitting up now but he still wouldn't look at either of them. He had his head down and a hand over his eyes. The shock of his arrival was starting to wear off and she was starting to worry about his silence and the rough, stilted way he was breathing. He seemed to be concentrating on getting his ragged breaths to smooth out into a regular rhythm. He was getting closer but his breath still hitched at the end of each exhale, like someone who'd been running too long or had been crying.

She paused, feeling shy. "Yuki-kun?" She said softly. He shifted his head slightly away from her, still covering his eyes with a hand.

"'m fine." he managed after one long breath. "I...I just knocked the wind out of myself." Yuki hoped that the tremble to his voice would be attributed to that. He felt his whole body shiver as Tooru stepped forward. He'd been so afraid she'd be gone, that he'd never see her again. The relief was making him weak and had destroyed the walls he usually used to protect his feelings from her.

"Oh, Yuki-kun! Are you alright?" Tooru ran forward and dropped the towel over his head and shoulders. "You're soaking!" She exclaimed as if she'd just realized it. She briskly rubbed the towel over his hair and shoulders like a mother with a child. She had to touch him to make sure he was really there. "What were you doing out in that rain?" She scolded. "Hatori-san would be so upset with you." Her voice was growing tight as she realized just how much danger he'd been in. It had been pouring icy rain for hours now and the wind had been strong enough to make the whole shack creak. "How long were you out there? It's horrible outside!"

She froze when Yuki put his chilled hands on hers. "I'm sorry Honda-san, but I had to get back." He said simply, in a tight, strange voice. "I'm fine." His shaking hand tightened on hers. "I'm fine now that I'm back."

Tooru's hand tightened into a fist under his hands and she felt herself begin to shake. She didn't stop to think and pulled him tight into a hug. She felt him dissolve into smoke and wet clothes as she babbled. "Yuki-kun was late! And I was so scared!" She made sure to keep hold of the small form that shaped itself out of the smoke. She opened her hands to look at the astonished mouse cradled there. "Don't ever worry me like that again!"

There was a beat of silence, then Tooru felt her face fan into flames as she realized how she was scolding Yuki, she was acting like a mother hen. And she'd hugged him! "Ah! I'm sorry." She bowed her head to the astonished mouse. She knew how he hated transforming and she'd done it to him anyway, just because she needed reassurance. "I'm sorry!" And she was still holding him! "I'm sorry!" She laid him carefully in the damp towel and wrapped him up in it. She hurried over to the fireplace and set him next to their pile of belongings.

She quickly faced away, not wanting to catch him as he changed back. "I'm sorry! I shouldn't have done that. I'm sure that Yuki-kun had his reasons for being out in the storm..." There was a muted sound, a soft "pyong!" behind her, and rustling as Yuki transformed and began rooting for dry clothes.

Kyou peered at the two from beneath his blanket, his chest felt tight and his stomach strange. He'd been wishing the rat was here earlier, and if he was truthful, he was relieved that the other boy seemed to be okay. But he'd been so close to... something with Tooru. He wasn't sure if she understood, still even now, how he felt about her. All that stupid talk about not knowing why he'd want to kiss her... Now that he was sure she wasn't going to push him away the urge to try to get closer was overwhelming. He wanted to touch her, hear her say she felt the same way, and...

And now the stupid mouse was here and she was fussing over the rat like she'd completely forgotten he was here. He knew, logically, it was only because Yuki did look like he needed fussing over. He was dead white, and his lips had a blue tinge to them even now that he was in dry clothes. He watched Tooru glance at Yuki over her shoulder as he pushed his sopping wet hair away from his face and finished buttoning a fresh shirt.

"I'm sorry, Honda-san," He said, his voice urgent, he tried to ignore the way his heart was thudding in reaction to her closeness. "I didn't mean to worry you. But I had to get home." Yuki looked at Kyou, his cheeks still flushed from the shock of Tooru's hug, "This storm, it's going to be bad."

"Bad?" Kyou repeated.

His hair was sticking up every which way and he had dark circles under his eyes. He was pale and Yuki could see him trembling where he sat. They shared a long look, as if weighing how they should treat each other when they were both so obviously not at their best.

"How bad?" Kyou said finally. He'd known this was no normal storm from the way he felt, but he'd been assured in his belief that the really bad weather didn't reach this far up the mountain.

"They said in town to expect hurricane force winds and torrential rains." Yuki said. There was a loud creak as the wind suddenly picked up in force. All three went silent, looking up at the ceiling in worry as the whole shack seemed to shudder and shake. Yuki was stopped short by his own words. Now that he was up here, what were they going to do to protect themselves? The storm was bad now, but the winds were picking up quickly. They hadn't seen the worst by far. The way the shack was creaking and shaking there was a good possibility that not all of it would survive till morning.

"What?" Kyou looked at him wide-eyed. "But... that's not possible."

"We...We're safe here, aren't we?" Tooru asked.

"I don't know." Yuki said softly, hating that she'd be scared and having to be the one to scare her. "I think we should be prepared for the worst."

"What should we do?" Tooru asked beginning to wring her hands together. She didn't like regular storms, she couldn't even conceive of how bad this one would be.

Yuki started to answer and then stopped. What could they do? It wasn't safe to leave the shack.

"We should pack our stuff up and get it back by the fire." Kyou said. "The fireplace was here before I rebuilt. It and the back wall. It's been standing for years."If anything would survive the night it would be that corner.

Tooru nodded. "We moved most of it already," she looked at Yuki, "to help keep it dry. I think if we just pack it together a bit more..."

Yuki glanced at Kyou who was shakily getting to his feet. "Baka neko, lay back down. You'll just get in the way in that state."

Kyou leaned up against the wall, angry at himself for needing its support to stand. "Kuso Nezumi," he muttered, but feeling his legs shake underneath him he decided to sit back down. His descent was less graceful then he would've wished for, he ended up slumped on his side. He felt weak and useless. He wanted to be next to Tooru. He felt like he was trapped in his head with all these confusing thoughts and feelings chasing themselves around him. His eyes focused on something red against the floor just past his knuckles.

He struggled to sit up, shaking with the effort when he got himself into a cross-legged seat. He wrapped the blanket tighter around himself.

"Oi..." He said weakly. "What's all this crap on the floor?"

Yuki looked at the floor, a pile of sodden rice and apples fanning out from where he'd fallen into the room. Two bright spots of color heated his cheeks. "I... I couldn't bring back everything, so I just brought back the rice and apples."

"Oh apples!" Tooru beamed, happy to think about something else besides the howling wind and the disturbing way the building was making little cracking noises with each gust. She picked out a bowl from their stash and quickly ran around the room plucking them up. "What a treat."

"I suppose we'll have to throw out the rice." Yuki said ruefully looking down at the burst bag, its contents spilled on the floor and most of it soaking wet.

"Oh, no." Tooru said appearing at his shoulder with another bowl. "I'll wash it and cook it up, when we're done packing." She chirped. "I'll make porridge." She scraped as much as she could up in the bowl and carried it and what was left in the bag over to the fireplace.

"Why don't you cook that now?" Yuki said following her over. "I don't think there will be any dry wood to burn tomorrow so we should make what we can." He winced at the way her face fell at the reminder of the situation they were in. He wanted to put his hand on her shoulder, reassure her and promise that everything would be ok. Instead he clenched his fist and turned away to start packing. He didn't want to make any more promises he couldn't keep.

Yuki made quick work of the packing; In all honesty they didn't have much worth salvaging at this point. He made two piles, things worth saving and things to throw away. Most of the towels, what was left of them, were in the throw away pile. Anything that had been in the cabin to begin with went in the throw away pile, all of their dishware and makeshift tools. All they had left to take with them were a few sets of clothes and the bedding they were still using.

"Oi, Nezumi." Kyou glared at him from his spot against the wall. "The door."

Yuki looked over at the sodden cloth flapping wildly in the wind. The heavy stones that had been holding it down were still scattered to the sides from where Yuki has burst through the weak barrier. One stone was still gamely holding on to one edge, but it was a loosing battle.

"I'll fix it." Yuki said and went to move the stones back in place. With the blanket partially pinned it wasn't too difficult for one person to do.

Yuki looked over at Kyou, feeling foolish that he'd ever thought that the cat would have even considered leaving in this type of weather. The cat looked like someone just recovered or still suffering from a prolonged illness.

"There are nails in that can over there, and my rock..." Kyou said, noticing his look. He nodded towards one of the items Yuki had put in the throw away pile. "Take the table and nail it across the doorway."

Yuki looked at the boards they'd been using as a table, now in a pile where it had stood before. It wouldn't cover more then half the doorway, but at least it would afford more protection then the blanket. It was already starting to tear around the nails in the top of the doorjamb.

He hefted the boards over, but it was awkward trying to hold them in place and nail them at the same time. He started when Kyou's hands suddenly appeared on the boards holding them in place.

"Hurry up." He wheezed, using his body to hold the boards in place. "It's freakin' cold over here."

"Un." Yuki nodded and began hammering the nails in place. He tried to ignore the way the cat cringed with every strike, the reverberations in the wood slamming into him.

It wasn't long before they had the weak barrier in place. It cut down on the amount of wind able to get into the room. The blanket was now trapped between the wood and the door and wasn't billowing or tearing as much. Yuki added a few more nails across the top, but didn't have much hope for the blanket lasting through the night.

Kyou had collapsed into a heap along the side of the door, just focusing on breathing. He opened his eyes to see a steaming bowl of rice porridge.

"Kyou-kun should eat." Tooru said, her voice concerned.

"We should move away from the door, it's drier by the hearth." Yuki agreed, holding his own bowl in hand.

Tooru nodded and looked over he shoulder at Kyou. "I'll carry it over for you."

Kyou nodded and slowly levered himself up. He was both glad and annoyed that Yuki and Tooru were careful not to watch him struggle across the small room, annoyed that they both knew his pride so well.

He wobbled his way back to his discarded blanket and wrapped himself up before accepting the bowl from Tooru.

As soon as the smell hit him he was ravenous. He concentrated on getting as much as he could in his mouth as quickly as possible. He hadn't realized how much he'd been craving a real solid meal. Finishing his bowl he slowly came aware of his surroundings again.

"Would you like more?" Tooru smiled, already dishing herself another bowl.

"Un." He held out his bowl and she ladled another heaping portion in.

She looked over at Yuki and he shook his head with a smile. "No thanks, I had lunch a little late."

The silence between the three stretched uncomfortably. It hadn't even been two days and it felt like the balance between them had been completely destroyed.

"You were late getting back too," Kyou said finally.

"It took me longer then I expected to get everything together." Yuki said simply, trying not to sound defensive.

"Where's all the stuff then?" Kyou's voice didn't hold the challenge the words implied. He just sounded exhausted.

"I...I had to leave it with Kin-san." Yuki started to explain.

"You met Kin-san?" Tooru interrupted between sips from her bowl.

"Yes." Yuki gave a faint smile. "She recognized your hat. I was lucky she did otherwise I would have had no place to stay for the night."

"What about the hostel?" Kyou asked defensively. "Do you really think it's a good idea to stay with some strange girl?"

"It's closed this time of year." Yuki said flatly. "And the only hotel apparently closes early. It was stay with Kin-san when she offered or sleep on a bench in the park."

Kyou looked down. "Never been up here this time of year," he muttered. "How'm I supposed to know the stupid hostel would be closed?"

"Common sense." Yuki said, falling back into the regular rhythm of baiting Kyou to sooth his own frayed nerves.

"You didn't seem to notice a problem with it when I told you about it!" Kyou spat, and then drooped his head, his low store of energy spent from his short tirade.

Tooru finished eating her second bowl, and lingered over the last bits. The silence began to press and feel awkward. She was abnormally aware of her position sitting between the two boys. Kyou sat on one side of the hearth, Yuki on the other.

"I'm glad everything ended up working out for Yuki-kun," she said trying to break the silence. "I was worried."

"I was worried about Honda-san too." Yuki admitted, toweling at his hair. "I'm sorry I wasn't able to get back sooner."

For a few moments all she could hear was the sputtering and crackling of the fire and the costant howling of the winds outside. She set her bowl aside by the fire. She could feel both boys watching her.

"Um..." Tooru said, feeling silly, but feeling like she had to announce what she was doing before moving in this oppressive atmosphere. It felt like if she made any sudden moves, something would shatter or break loose. "I think I'm going to brush my hair." She turned to the packages Yuki had rounded up. "Hairbrush, hairbrush." She muttered in a slight sing-song as she looked through her bag.

"Here." She looked up to see Kyou holding it out. "You dropped it over here... earlier." His eyes slid away from hers, and she flushed remembering she'd used the brush on his hair.

Kyou's fingers brushed hers as she took the brush and she felt her face heat even more. Their eyes met for a moment, locked and then both drew back quickly as if burned.

She turned to find Yuki watching her with a strange expression. She looked away from him just as quickly, her cheeks continuing to glow brightly. She reached back to unpin her hair and gasped in pain when her muscles around and between shoulders spasmed in response. Her hairbrush dropped from nerveless fingers.

"Tooru!"

"Honda-san!"

Both boys glanced at each other only briefly before focusing on the girl between them.

She looked up at them, quickly dropping her arms to a more comfortable position. "I'm fine!" She said hurriedly, "I'm fine!"

"What happened?" Yuki asked, not relaxing a bit.

"Oh, it's just it hurt a little when I put my arms up like that." Tooru said sheepishly. She looked back and forth between them, trying to reassure them. "It just startled me."

"Why would it hurt?" Yuki asked confused. He looked back and forth between Tooru and Kyou starting to feel sick when they glanced at each other and then away, guilty and flushing all over again. He looked Tooru over and noticed little details he hadn't before. She was scruffy and there were streaks of mud on her arms and legs. Her hair was thick with it, and there were streaks on her neck.

"Oh, I, um, fell earlier." Tooru said, impossibly going even brighter. "I slipped in the mud. It got all in my hair." She started to lift her arm to pat at it, but stopped when her shoulder twinged. "I was waiting until it dried to brush it out. Oh well."

"I'll do it for you." Yuki said in a rush. He picked up the brush and glanced at Kyou, expecting him to protest, bluster, or something. But the cat had drawn up into a huddle against the back wall, wrapped like an old woman in his blanket, all up over his head. He looked away from Yuki, guilt written in big letters across his face.

"Oh, Yuki-kun doesn't have to-" She started to protest.

"Its okay, Honda-san. I want to." And he did, very much. Since he'd returned he'd wanted nothing more than to touch and reassure himself that she was there. The brief hug she'd given him hadn't been enough. He didn't want to ever lose her again. "Please, let me do this for you."

She hesitated, and he said quickly, "It's not as if we have much else to do." He tried not to be hurt by the way she seemed to avoid being close to him, or the jealous voice that claimed she wouldn't have protested if it were Kyou. She'd hugged him, not the cat, after all.

"Yes," she said and turned away from him. "Alright, if Yuki-kun really doesn't mind." She put her back to him and found herself half looking into the fire and half looking at Kyou. One tilt of her head and she'd be staring straight at him. She felt herself warm again and titled to look at the fire instead.

She shivered a little when she felt Yuki's clever fingers beginning to pick at the pins in her hair, neatly pulling them free without a snag or a pull. She winced when she felt her hair beginning to fall down, encrusted with clumps of dried dirt.

Yuki gently tugged the hair as straight as he could and ran his fingers through; trying to unknot it from the snarl it was in. He winced when a tug made her shoulder's tighten. "I'm sorry, it's pretty tangled this may hurt a little."

"No, no, it's fine." Tooru said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Yuki started to brush through the portions he freed, starting at the ends and then working his way up. Every few minutes he'd pause to knock the brush against the floor cleaning it of dirt. No one spoke and the only thing that could be heard over the rising wind was the crackle of the brush through her hair and the knock-knock against the floor. Yuki glanced over her shoulder at Kyou, assuming the cat would have succumbed to the weather and would be sleeping. Instead he caught the cat watching Tooru sadly. Yuki had never seen Kyou look so haunted and vulnerable.

He looked down at Tooru, who was falling asleep under his brush. Something had definitely happened between the two of them while he'd be gone, but what? He felt himself tense. Had the cat finally told her how he so obviously felt? If so why was Kyou looking so sad, there was no way she would have refused him. He'd seen the way Tooru responded to him. His brow furrowed, hating the secrets clouding the air between them. They'd come to an uneasy truce up here, and implied understanding that there could be no secrets, no hidden parts of their lives. He hadn't been gone but a day and a half and it felt like he'd missed something vital in the meantime.

He looked down at her hair, concentrating on it, trying to calm himself. He ran his fingers through the end of her hair, and moved to smooth it over her shoulder to separate it from what needed still to be cleaned. He caught a flash of angry red skin, right at her throat and gasped.

"Honda-san! What's this?" His finger traced lightly over one of the red welts on the side of her neck.

Tooru flinched, the gentle touch unexpected and painful. "Oh!" She went bright, bright red when his question sank in.

"What happened!" Yuki looked back and forth between Kyou and Tooru, now wearing matching guilty expressions. He pulled a little at the collar of her shirt to get a better look.

"I..um... when I kept falling down, Kyou-kun tried to catch me and it made a mark. I hardly felt it!" She hastened to assure both of them, pulling back and covering the marks with her hand.

"Tried to catch you?" Yuki's voice was deadly cold. "Honda-san, there are at least five welts there, and more bruises, how many times did you fall?" It looked like someone had tried choking her by wrapping her neck tight.

"Oh, well, I was trying to learn the cat stance," She babbled, looking down and afraid to catch either boy's eye. "Because if I trained then maybe I wouldn't be so weak. And I'd get to learn about what Kyou-kun loves so much, like Yuki-kun's garden, only when he pushed me I kept losing my footing. Because I didn't understand how I was supposed to stand exactly, with my weight on the back foot. But Kyou-kun was very patient." She looked over her shoulder at Yuki, "It was only because he was trying to keep me from falling again that he grabbed at my shirt. It hurt a little, not very much at all! But I didn't say anything." She

looked over at Kyou and then back at Yuki. "But once he saw it was hurting me he didn't do that anymore. He was mad that I hadn't said anything. But then I got it, and it worked, and then-" She opened her mouth, to tell the rest and snapped it shut and looked wide-eyed at Kyou.

Yuki watched the exchange with a sick feeling of dread. Something had happened. Had he hurt her? Was that why the cat was looking so scared and sad all at once? Obviously Tooru had forgiven him, but the cat had to know that Yuki never would.

"What happened?" He bit out, looking at Kyou, his hand clenched around Tooru's hairbrush. He'd trusted him with her!

"I was jumping." Tooru said softly, barely loud enough to hear over the increasingly loud wind. She was scared, she didn't want to keep secrets. But she knew that everything would change once she told about the kiss. She could've just pretended like it hadn't happened, falling back into their regular pace. But now if she didn't say she'd be lying to Yuki which was different then just not mentioning, just conveniently forgetting. "And I slipped, and fell." She paused and licked her lips, her eyes locked with Kyou's. He looked like he was about to cry, but he didn't try to stop her. "Kyou tried to catch me, but it knocked my wind out."

"She hit so hard. Her feet went right up into the air." Kyou interrupted looking first at Yuki then staring right at Tooru. "I didn't think you were even breathing." His voice was soft and hesitant. The cracking and creaking of the cabin almost drowned him out. "Then you took a big breath." His

head sagged in remembered relief. "Then I kissed her." He looked up at Yuki to see his reaction.

For most of his life, Kyou had wanted to crush Yuki. He wanted to make him feel small, excluded, alone. He'd imagined doing it with his fists. He'd never thought of doing it using Tooru. He'd been so afraid that she'd push him away, he'd never thought what it'd do to the three of them if she didn't. He knew what he'd be feeling in the rat's place. Kyou's heart started thudding, he wanted to win fair! He should have stayed behind to be locked up, he destroyed everything he touched. Tooru might have said she hadn't "disliked" his kiss, but she'd never want to hurt Yuki.

"Honda-san." Yuki's face and voice were devoid of emotion. "Did he force you? Did he hurt you?" She was afraid to look up at him, but she shook her head.

"No, of course not!" Tooru rushed to assure him. "Kyou-kun would never do anything to hurt me!" She was about to say more when a rush of wet wind burst down the chimney fanning the flames into the room. Sparks flew and Tooru shrieked.

"Douse the fire!" Kyou shouted trying to rise and failing.

Yuki reacted as quickly as he could, he took their drinking water and tossed it on the fire. He stamped out the little bits that were left, and the room became almost completely dark. Only a few glowing embers were left of the fire.

"Honda-san?"Yuki said uncertainly. Even with his superior night sight he could barely make out the shapes of Tooru and Kyou in the cabin. "Were you hurt? Burned?"

"N-No." Tooru stuttered. "It just startled me." There was a crack of thunder and Tooru cried out again. Wind had picked up while they'd been revealing their secret and in the dark it felt like the world was ending.

The wind pushed hard against the cabin and the whole thing gave a groan like it was trying to pick up off the ground and fly away.

"Back!" Kyou yelled, crawling over to Tooru and nudging her back toward their pile of belongings. "Get along the back wall!" She obediently crawled with him over to the pile practically climbing into it and huddling into herself. Kyou slumped against her, the adrenaline that had gotten him moving so quickly spent.

Yuki paused, not sure if he should join them. It was stupid, but even with the storm that was trying to tear their little world apart the fact that they had kissed was like a wall between them. Kyou looked up and around. He could see that there were patches of the roof that had blown off in the last gust. He looked at Yuki, "The bedding, get the bedding!"

The mouse snapped out of his hesitation. Protecting Tooru was more important than anything. Yuki grabbed up as much of their bed as he could, a couple pillows and rushed over. Tooru started when he tripped into place beside her. She was completely blind in the darkness. She sniffled, she'd never been more afraid, not even when she'd first seen Kyou's true form. She grabbed onto the pillow Yuki handed her, holding it tight to her chest.

The wind was blowing down the chimney scattering ash and weak sparks from the embers into the room. She wished she'd thought to light the little lamp they used in the evenings, but it had been one thing after another today and it hadn't occured to her. She hated the dark. She was glad that Kyou was slumped against her shoulder, his soft hair tickling at her neck. He gave a little moan and tried to lever himself off of her, but she wrapped her arm around his trying to

keep him near. She couldn't see anything, and having him close made her feel safer. She looked up blindly when a couple of blankets dropped on her.

"Yuki-kun?" She said loudly, trying to be heard over the wind.

"Put them over you and Kyou." Yuki yelled, hard to hear even though she could feel that he was only a few inches away. Tooru arranged the blankets over them. She flinched when she felt something fly up over her head, and ducked into the pillow on her lap. The sound of the wind was dimmed slightly and she got a closed in feeling like she was in a tent. She hadn't thought it was possible, but it was darker, the coals from the fire completely disappearing.

"It's just me." Yuki tried to sound as reassuring as possible as he slid into place on her other side. "I put a blanket over us, to help keep dry."

Kyou gave another moan and transformed into a cat. Tooru felt him disappear at her side and scrabbled for him, catching him blindly before he hit the ground. She clutched him to her chest protectively. "Kyou-kun just transformed!"

"Do you have him?" Yuki asked, "Baka Neko, are you awake?" No matter what his current feelings about the cat were he didn't want him to die, not in Tooru's arms. She'd be destroyed. He didn't think about the hole that would leave in his life.

Kyou gave a low yowling cry, but finally managed to make it into words. "Its.. this... I think it's going to get worse." He paused, snuggling closer in Tooru's hold unashamed for once and just needing to be closer. "Soon."

"Turn towards me." Yuki said, "Keep the pillow between us." He didn't know if it would work, but any barrier between Tooru and he could only help prevent him from transforming.

Tooru cradled Kyou close and turned towards his voice. She felt Kyou shaking and shivered herself despite the blankets covering them. All she could hear was wind and Yuki breathing above her. She felt Yuki tucking the blanket above and around them. They all froze when they heard a sick cracking above them.

There was a loud snap and the wind rushed into the little shack. Yuki found an edge of the blanket and peeked out. A large section of the roof was gone. The wind had caught it under one side of the lopsided eaves and pulled it away. He saw something flying at him and ducked back under the blanket.

"Augh!" He cried as a peice of the roof-bark slammed into his side.

Tooru cried out. "Yuki-kun! Are you alright?" She hated this darkness that wouldn't let her see him.

"Yes." Yuki winced. "It was just a peice of bark. Part of the roof is gone."

Tooru began to cry, ashamed of herself, but so terrified she couldn't help it. In her arms Kyou shifted so that he could put his head under her chin. He started to purr feebly, trying to reassure her, but too weak to put his comfort into words.

"Honda-san," Yuki said, wanting to say something reasurring, something like "everything will be ok" or "don't worry." What came out was, "Honda-san, I love you."

Tooru turned towards his voice, convinced she'd misheard. "What?"

"Honda-san, I love you." Yuki repeated, unwilling to take back the words now that they were out. He knew it was hopeless. Kyou had already confessed through his kiss, and Tooru had made her choice when she hadn't pushed him away. But all he could think of was Kin's question, if he'd regret not telling her. When it had been just the thought of keeping it to himself and letting her be happy it was one thing, but he didn't think he could die without her knowing. Peices of debris were flying through the air and striking against his back. He shifted so that he was above her, completely shielding her and Kyou with his body. It was selfish of him to do this to her in the middle of this, but he didn't know what would hit him next. He dropped his head slightly and his cheek rested against the crown of her head. She lifted a hand to clutch at his shirtsleeve and he nuzzled at her hair reassuringly. Whatever the outcome of this night, he knew this would be his last chance to be this close to her. He'd been pathetic and useless most of his life. This time he'd do the right thing and give his life if he had to to protect Tooru... and the possible happiness she cradled in his arms. If he survivied...

Tooru had felt him move to cover her. His breath was warm on her face, her back was protected by their pile of belongings and he braced his arms on either side of her, clutching the blanket over them keep her as safe as possible. She couldn't absorb what he said. Loved her? Yuki did? Her heart was thudding and she was crying fitfully. She had Kyou in a deathgrip in one arm and the other hand holding tight to Yuki's sleeve. Kyou hadn't stopped purring and he'd started licking at her neck.

"It's okay, Honda-san." Yuki said, almost directly into her ear. "If...if something happens, go to the convenience store Kin-san works at. She has the things I bought. You and Kyou, you can go wherever you want."

"What?" Tooru said, not liking the way Yuki sounded. "Together, we'll all go somewhere together."

"I'll go back." Yuki said, deciding on the spur of the moment, "Tomorrow, I'll go back. Akito-san won't come after you two if I go back. You'll be safe. Just... remember me, okay?"

"No!" Tooru said, shaking her head and tightening her hand around his arm, heedless of the cracking and snapping all around them. "Yuki-kun!"

Something heavy flung itself into the blanket, across Yuki's side. Tooru heard him grunt and felt him sag a little. "Yuki-kun!"

"I'm okay." He said, but his voice was thready.

They could hear branches snapping and cracking as more of the roof was pulled away. Tooru could feel water pooling up underneath her and knew that Yuki had to be soaked again through the blanket. There was a thick crack followed by a thud, its sounded like a trees were falling all around them.

Tooru heard something shatter and turned towards it. The only glass thing they'd brought with them was the glass in her Mother's picture frame. "Mother." She breathed. She'd left the frame next to the hearth.

Yuki swore under his breath. "I'll get it."

"What? No!" Tooru scrabbled to catch him as he climbed over her and out from under the blankets. She curled into a ball and whimpered into Kyou's fur.

Yuki looked around, orienting himself by the brief flashes of light that came through the roof when lightening flashed. The room was filled with debris; leaves, branches and water. A gust of wind blew past him so hard he had trouble standing. He stumbled the few steps towards the hearth and looked around. He couldn't make out the frame against the branches, ash and leaves on the floor. Something fluttered at his foot, starkly white instead of ashy green. He bent down and gently picked the sodden picture up. From what he could see in the dark, it was mostly in one piece, but it wouldn't have lasted too much longer.

It was harder getting back to their nest among their belongings, now he had to walk against the wind. One strong gust almost sent him over backwards. He grabbed the edge of the blankets tucked around her. Her hand shot out trying to grab hold of him. A horrible splintering sound made him look up. The wall was separating at the corner! The wind was blowing it in! The fragile wood couldn't keep up against the strength of the storm.

Yuki flung himself over Tooru as it fell inward. He waited for the impact, willing his legs and arms to keep him supported over her and to _not transform_ no matter what. The wall fell in and he felt part of it strike heavy on his back. But the back wall held, keeping the side from falling onto them fully. Yuki could barely move, the chunk of wall keeping him in place. But it made stronger shield then the blanket and it acted as barrier from the worst of the storm.

"-un. Yuki-kun!" Tooru's panicked voice finally registered. Her hand was still flailing from beneath the blankets.

He shifted so that his back was holding more of the weight of the wall and scrabbled with a hand to pull the blankets off of her head.

"Yuki-kun!" She looked around wildly. She couldn't see even with the blankets gone, but the wind wasn't stinging at them as much any more, and she could tell there was something on top of them. "Are you alright?"

"I...can't move." Yuki said, "But I'm okay, Honda-san." His arms were shaking from the force of keeping what was left of the wall from pushing them together and transforming. He knew even if he did Tooru would be okay, as long as the storm didn't last too long or anything else fell on them.

"I want to go home!" Tooru cried. "With Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun, I want to go home!"

Kyou's voice came from somewhere underneath the blankets, "I... I think... I don't think it's going to last much longer. Tooru, Tooru, its going to be okay."

"Don't cry, Honda-san." Yuki pleaded. "Listen to Kyou, everything will be alright." There was another burst of wind, a strong one. He collapsed a little under its weight against the boards. He dropped his head into the nape of her neck. "I promise you," he whispered in her ear, "it will be okay. And the three of us, we'll go somewhere safe."

"Three of us." Tooru repeated. "Yuki-kun, Kyou-kun and I." Her hand came up to caress the nape of his neck and her cheek pressed against his head. "Together, together..." She whispered like a mantra, hiccupping around the words as she tried to keep herself from crying.

"That's right..." Yuki said, "that's right." He could feel and hear Kyou purring somewhere around his stomach. "Shh... shsh... shhsh..." The mouse soothed. He was so tired; the storm was slowly dying. He'd been running and fighting for so long that he felt a collapse coming on. "Honda-san, I... I have to rest for a little while... keep the pillow and blankets between us..."

He felt Tooru shift and pull the blankets up between them. He slowly let the weight of the boards push him down.

"Can you breathe Honda-san?" Yuki asked, his weight now supported on his elbows. He could feel the pillows and blankets against his chest, probably the only thing keeping him from turning into a mouse. His head was swimming.

"Yes," she said, but her voice was thin and reedy. He thought she might have said more, but he blacked out before it could register.

Tooru looked up, blinking. She'd been thinking for a while that she could see light. It had been steadily growing from black to gray. Now she was sure of it, she could start to make out details, like Yuki's muddy hair along her cheek and the roughness of the boards across his back.

She thought maybe when she blinked, her eyes had stayed shut a little longer then she'd imagined. She was pretty sure she'd slept for a while. She wondered if this blank feeling she had was what they called "shock."

Her mind was jumbled up, and it felt like her world had been shattered into a million pieces. Kyou had kissed her and she had liked it. Not just "not dislike", but she'd liked it. The more she thought about it and remembered it the more it made her heart pound. His breath just over her mouth, the brushing of his skin against hers, the look in his eye... And Yuki had told her, in the middle of a situation where they could've died, and had come very close to it, that he loved her.

Way back, she'd thought that one day her heart would burst and overflow from being around all the "princes" of the Souma family. She hadn't realized that it had already happened. Her only response to Yuki's confession, when she reflected on it now was, well of course, I love you too. When he'd suggested that he'd go back, and leave her and Kyou, her heart had seized.

But this wasn't the way it was supposed to be, was it? She knew she'd always been different from other girls her age. Other girls had crushes on boys and thought about getting boyfriends and pictured what it would be like when they got married to their special person. Tooru had never really been aware of boys in her class as "boys." Of course, she'd noticed when other girls had made a fuss over Yuki, and she'd always thought he was attractive. Just not in a way that would ever affect her life, like seeing someone on TV, an idol. When she'd become friends with the both of them, the fact that they were "boys" and she was a "girl" had been made into a big deal by everyone but themselves. Uo-chan and Hana-chan had teased her about "choosing" one of them, and becoming a bride. Shigure and Ayame had teased them about her being a "princess" to

their "princes." Tooru had just shrugged it off as meaningless teasing.

Tooru had always known that there was a gulf between them that she couldn't cross; a gulf that she shouldn't attempt to cross. Yuki and Kyou were beautiful, smart, and strong. They came from an old important family; they were special, important people. She was... well, she wasn't any of those things. She was boring, not smart at all, weak, always causing trouble for everyone, a burden. Her own family didn't want her. The differences between them were just too great, even the friendship they shared sometimes seemed improper. She was unworthy of them. So all this time, even after they'd run away, she'd just considered the prospect of something more between them as impossible.

More than that, it just hadn't occurred to her as a possibility.

Other, smarter, girls would probably know what to do or how to feel. Tooru was lost. It felt like everything she'd known and been sure of in the world had been tilted to the side. She shifted, she was itchy and wet and it was easier to concentrate on her physical senses then her feelings. Yuki's weight was heavy on her chest, even with the barrier of the pillows and blankets between them. He lay so still and limp that she would have thought he was dead if it wasn't for the steady breathing she could feel on her neck. Kyou was a warm presence on her stomach; he'd stopped purring sometime before the storm blew itself out but after she'd fallen asleep herself. She hoped he was able to breathe okay under there, but she could feel his body shift and move in restless sleep so she figured he was alright as any of them. She hoped she'd never have to watch him go through a storm like that again.

The portion of the wall on Yuki's back blocked out most of the sun and all of her view of the sky, so she couldn't tell how late it was. All she knew was that she was aching, wet, dirty and had been that way for too long. The pile of belongings that had probably helped to save her life was lumpy and uncomfortable to lie on. There was something hard and knobby poking into her side, it felt like it was pressing right into her kidneys. She had to go to the bathroom, and she was hungry and nauseous at the same time. The weight of Kyou and Yuki was reassuring, letting her know they were both still in one piece, but they made it hard to get a good deep breath. Big fat tears began rolling down her cheeks, and she tried to reign them in. She felt pitiful crying when she should be happy that they all survived and seemed to be unharmed. She felt like a child. She started to hiccup.

She felt Kyou shift around on her stomach, under her protective arm.

"Oi." He wriggled trying to find a way past the lump of bedding up her body. "Oi! Are you hurt somewhere?"

"N-no..." Tooru said, hiccupping. "I-I'm o-okay I think." Her arm over the top of him was a little numb, and she didn't think she could move it. Her toes were frozen from soaking in the icy water all night, but she didn't think she was really hurt.

"Why are you crying?" There was a brief pause and then a hesitant question. "Oi... the Rat's okay isn't he?"

"He's... I th-hink he's just s-sleeping." Tooru's free hand roamed up the back of Yuki's neck and gently probed at the back of the head. "I d-don't feel any lumps or anything either."

"Good." Kyou said sounding relieved. "Not that I care or anything!" He followed up quickly.

For some reason, that little slice of normalcy made Tooru give a short burst of laughter between her hiccups.

"Then what's wrong?" Kyou repeated, trying again, a bit harder, to squirm past the blankets.

"I'm wet, and I'm cold." Tooru said, not liking how she sounded, whiny and needy. "And... " she stopped not wanting to continue.

"And?" Kyou's voice was uncharacteristically gentle.

"I have to go to the washroom." She whispered, feeling her cheeks burn.

"Can you get out?" Kyou asked.

Tooru hadn't tried to move too much before, not wanting to wake Kyou and Yuki. Now she squirmed, shifting towards the right where the most light was showing from the edges of the board. There was too much pressure coming from Yuki and the wall and she couldn't get her legs under her enough to get leverage. "I... I can't." She said finally. She couldn't see past the tears in her eyes, she was so frustrated. Now that she called it to mind, the fact that she had to go to the bathroom was overwhelming. Half laying in a puddle of cold water wasn't helping matters either.

"Can you wake up the damn Rat? Maybe he can move it a little."

"Wake him?" Tooru hadn't even considered it. If he was sleeping, he needed to sleep. She squirmed a little more but decided she couldn't wait for him to wake up. If she and Kyou's moving about underneath him didn't do it, he wasn't going to wake up on his own.

"Yuki-kun!" She turned her head into his neck, as close to his ear as possible. "Yuki-kun, please wake up!" He didn't move, so she repeated herself a couple times. If she didn't need so badly to be freed it almost would have been funny. Yuki was as heavy a sleeper as always.

"Mmm." Yuki finally mumbled, and shifted a little.

Tooru froze as he nuzzled into her neck. He settled and gave a big sigh, a gush of hot air that made her skin prickle. His arms, which had been hanging limply over her shoulders, shifted and wrapped loosely around her head. He'd been braced against his knees but he straightened his legs and his weight settled more firmly on top of Tooru. If the pile of blankets (and Kyou) hadn't been between them there would be no way he wouldn't have transformed into a mouse. How could he sleep so peacefully with a wall on top of him? And she could feel his clothes, he was sopping wet!

"Oh, what the hell!" Kyou shouted from underneath the blankets. Tooru could feel him scrabbling around on her stomach, almost completely squashed by Yuki.

When Yuki had shifted his weight off his knees the wall had settled more firmly on all of them. The light dimmed and made their situation seem even bleaker.

"I think I can get out." Kyou said, and began wriggling off her stomach. She could feel him inching his way off her hip until his weight disappeared completely.

"Awww..." He groaned.

"What's wrong?" Tooru asked. Now that she couldn't feel him she started to feel nervous and afraid again.

"I just fell in water," Kyou groused. "Cold water. Are you laying in this crap?"

"Yes." Tooru said, smiling despite her discomfort. She could just imagine Kyou's annoyed face at having to pick through the icy water with his paws.

"Kuso Nezumi, sleeping while we're all wet." She heard Kyou mutter as he tried to find his way out from under the pile. She saw the boards across Yuki's back wobble. There was a "poof" of orange smoke and they shifted up radically.

"Ow! Crap!" Kyou shouted. "Dammit! Dammit! Dammit! That hurt!"

"Is Kyo-kun okay?" She couldn't see past Yuki's head, and was partially blinded by the flood of light let in when the boards lifted.

"Yes." Kyou replied disagreeably. "I just changed back too soon and hit my head. Dammit." The boards lifted up a little and then the light was cut off as he got out from under them completely. "It's trashed out here." His nonchalant words were overshadowed by the awe in his voice.

There was a pause and then the boards began to shift. Tooru could feel the weight lessening as Kyou pulled off whatever might be laying on top of them.

The boards started to move and Tooru's heart lifted in hope. The boards stopped and her heart sank.

"Oi..." Kyou said, "Um... Look the other way, okay?"

"Eh?" Tooru asked, looking towards the slice of white light.

"I'm... I don't have any clothes." Kyou said in a rush. "So look the other way, okay?"

"Yes!" Tooru's cheeks burned, she turned away and closed her eyes just in case. "I'm ready."

Kyou grunted and pushed at the wall, getting his shoulder under it. It was heavy and if it hadn't been partially propped against the back wall he probably couldn't have lifted it. "Can you get out?" He strained and got it lifted up enough so that the weight wasn't resting across them anymore.

"Yuki-kun is still asleep." Tooru said, trying to figure out what to do with him. She couldn't leave him there. "Oh!" She had an idea. Now that the wall wasn't weighing them down and Kyou wasn't on her stomach she could move the bedding more. She shoved it out of the way and Yuki fell flat on her. There was a gray cloud of smoke and a small rat lay nestled on her chest. She put one hand over him and turned slightly. She tried to grab up the bedding and Yuki's clothes as she crawled towards the light. She saw Kyou's bare legs and looked away as she crawled out of the rubble. She blinked as she got out fully into the light, clutching Yuki's mouse form to her chest, improbably still sleeping.

"I'm gonna drop it." Kyou grunted and there was a crash behind her. She felt him approach behind her and had to resist the urge to turn around. "Gimmie one of those blankets." He said roughly. She held out the clutch of muddy blankets and Yuki's clothes and let him tug one free. "Okay." he said finally, "I'm good."

She was too absorbed in looking around her to pay him much mind. She stood on a platform that had once been their shack. The front wall had fallen forward, almost as one piece. It must have been one of the crashing noises they'd heard last night. The blanket was still nailed to the doorway she noticed. The wall that had fallen on them was broken in two jagged halves. Part of it stood, barely, where it and the front would have joined. It leaned inward like it might fall at any moment. The other half lay partially on the back wall, sloping down where it had lain on them. The hearth and the back and other side still stood, but there were random holes where panels or bark had been pulled away. She looked up, none of the roof had survived except for one sturdy beam that stretched between the two standing walls. The wall on top of them had probably saved their lives. Everywhere were downed trees and broken branches sticking out dangerously. There were more leaves on the ground then there were on the trees.

She dropped the rest of the blankets and lay Yuki into them. "I've... I'll be back!" She turned to run to the bushes where she was accustomed to doing her business to find a tree had taken them out. She ran behind it and out of sight.

Yuki transformed back in the wet nest Tooru had left him in and opened his eyes sleepily. He started to move but his whole body protested, clenching up. "Ooh." he gasped.

"About time, Rat." Kyou said tiredly, hunching next to rubble pile and looking uncomfortable in a soaked blanket.

"Honda-san!" Yuki sat up straight, then noticed his nudity. He covered himself with a corner of one of the blankets. "I transformed? Is she alright?" He looked around and went still, taking in the devastation.

"Think so." Kyou wouldn't meet his eyes. "She's shook up."

"Un." Yuki agreed. He looked down and saw that his clothes were mixed up with the blankets. He couldn't find his shirt, but he found his pants and his jacket. "How long was I...?"

"About an half hour more than me, " Kyou supplied. "I don't know how long she's been up for. She was crying when I woke up. We were both on top of her, and she was laying in cold water all night. I don't think she could move much."

"But she's okay?" Yuki asked again. "I didn't transform before we got out?"

"No, she transformed you because you wouldn't wake up, kuso nezumi, to get you out." Kyou didn't have the energy to fight, so the words came out as a flat explanation. "But she seems to be moving okay." He looked at the wall. "All our stuff is under there."

"Want to move it?" Yuki said looking at it, already daunted by the prospect.

"Yuki-kun, Kyou-kun." Tooru said stepping up behind them. Her coat was soaked and her hair dripping down the back, she had a bruise on her forehead and was filthy. Yuki was positive she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen, because she was whole and in one piece.

"You're alright Honda-san?" He asked softly.

"Yes." Tooru said, but her face scrunched up and she started to cry. "But I was scared." She turned away from them and covered her face, ashamed that she was crying again.

"Don't cry!" Kyou yelled jumping up and stomping a foot at her. "We're all okay! We're fine!" His blanket slipped a little and he clutched it tighter, "Don't be stupid and cry now."

Yuki moved closer, wanting to rub her back or smooth her hair, but afraid to touch her at the same time. "Please, Honda-san, the Baka Neko is right. Please don't cry, everything will be alright. I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

She nodded into her hands and wiped her eyes as best she could. She still felt shaky and like she might fall back into tears at any moment, but she reigned in as much as she could. "W-what should we do now?" She asked shakily looking at Yuki.

Yuki glanced at Kyou who quickly looked away from him. "I..." he trailed off, his mind hadn't been moving at all about what happened next. He took a deep breath and looked around, thinking. "We should try to salvage as much as we can, but I want to be heading down to the village by noon. We can't be up here tonight and we don't know how long it will take us to get down. We don't want to get stuck up in the middle of the woods." He looked away from both of them. "We've got stuff to talk about, but we can't do it up here, like this."

"We'll have to move that wall then." Kyou said, not wanting to think about what Yuki wanted to discuss. He'd heard Yuki confess last night, his offer to leave him and Tooru, and her immediate refusal. She'd said that she wanted them to go somewhere together, but he wondered how much of that was really that she didn't want to go somewhere without Yuki. She had said she didn't dislike his kiss, but she hadn't said she'd liked it either.

He wondered about Yuki's offer to go back to protect them. Was the Rat that stupid, to not be able to see how Tooru loved him? No way she'd let him go back alone, especially knowing how Yuki'd be trapped in the honke by Akito. And what was he supposed to be, some sort of consolation prize to Tooru to comfort her when the rat was gone? So what was he supposed to do now that Tooru had refused? Was he supposed to offer to leave now, to let them be together? But him going back wouldn't do anything but enrage Akito further.

"Kyo-kun?" Tooru looked at him expectantly and realized he must have missed part of the conversation.

"What?" He said rudely, not meeting her eyes. He didn't know if he could be that unselfish, to just leave her to Yuki. His expression went from angry to rueful, but if it made her happy...

"I think we ought to try dragging it to the side... so that we can get to the things underneath, without having to lift it." Yuki repeated. "If you get on that end, I'll push this end."

"Whatever." Kyou muttered, tied the blanket around his waist and got in place. He wouldn't think about it now. There would be enough time to focus on it later.

In the end it was easier to pull the wall apart then it was to lift it off. It took some work to get the planks apart, but with the three of them carting away the pieces it didn't take too long. Yuki and Kyou had both told Tooru to sit out of the way, but she hadn't been able to sit calmly and convinced them she felt better pitching in. She promised to only take small pieces. They gathered together what they could, surprisingly most of what they'd put up against the wall had survived, even if it was waterlogged. They found Kyou's shirt, but it was too muddy to consider keeping. He put on his last pair of clothes from their stash, sopping wet, but it was better then being naked. They were especially glad to find that their little purse of money had made it through, still safely tucked in Tooru's bag. They decided to leave their bedding behind; it was torn and muddy now.

They stood in front of their little shack's remains as they came upon noon. Tooru teared up again, but didn't let them fall. The little clearing in the woods had been home for only a short while, but it had been a home they'd made together. She really wanted to take Kyou and Yuki's hands to get some comfort about losing their home, again, now for the second time. But their hands were full; so she had to clasp her own hands. She didn't know if she would have had the courage to reach for them even if it had been possible. They were reluctant to leave, but Yuki finally walked away leading them down to the village.


	19. Clearing Skies

_AN: I have to start compiling these things sooner. In order to try to get my updates out faster, I've been writing in chunks on my lunch break and it's been going really well. The only problem is that when I sit down I end up having these mega-long chapters! This one was over 50 pages! (and I didn't even finish, really) I've broken it up in two chapters, and kept a little back to get a good ending point. Though, I think out of all chapter, this one, is the most likely to get me lynched. ; Sorry! - Merrow _

It was a hellish walk down the mountain. Any semblance of a trail had been washed away by the storm, and they had to navigate around downed trees, rock falls, torn up roots and bushes. They paused when they could to let Tooru rest, but forced themselves to maintain a quick pace afraid to be stuck there once night fell. The landscape was so radically changed by the storm that if they hadn't been able to feel the slope going down, they would have been completely lost even during the day. They walked in tense silence, uncomfortable in each other's presence. By the time they reached the bottom Tooru was glassy-eyed and flushed. They walked slowly into the outskirts of town, numb and wondering where to go next.

The town wasn't in much better shape then the mountain had been. Shop awnings hung loose, many windows were boarded up, but the winds had found the few unprotected and broken glass glittered in the waning sunlight. There were branches, leaves and trash everywhere. Most houses and shops were dark and stayed dark as the sun went down, it looked like most of the town was out of power.

"Where is the hotel in this town?" Yuki asked pausing at a spookily quiet intersection. They'd passed some people sweeping up glass and cleaning up as best they could, but it was obvious most people were staying close to home in the aftermath of the storm.

"How am I supposed to know?" Kyou said crossly, his clothes had dried gritty and uncomfortable. Tooru kept her head down, concentrating on not dropping her bags and staying upright. She swayed gently in place.

"You're the one who spent three months up here." Yuki spat back. "And used to come up here every summer with Shi-han."

"We came up here to train, and camp." Kyou tensed bouncing onto the balls of his feet, ready for a fight despite his exhaustion. "Not laze around in a hotel."

"I _know_ tha-"

"Yuki?"

Yuki jumped at the sound his name from an unfamiliar voice. Almost as one Yuki and Kyou stepped protectively in front of Tooru. They looked at the teenager standing in the intersection on a bike with a restaurant delivery box back.

"It was Yuki, right? Man, what happened to you?"

"Kazuya?" Yuki dredged his name up, recognizing the boy from his soccer game in town. Had that really been just the day before yesterday? "We ah, got caught in the storm."

"No kidding." The other boy's eyes ranged over the trio curiously. "You said you were visiting, you staying over at the Sunset? I heard that place got pretty trashed."

Yuki didn't answer, letting him draw his own conclusions. Tooru had swayed forward, her forehead resting partially on his shoulder and Kyou's. He glanced back at her worried she'd pass out soon if they didn't find somewhere safe to rest. Kyou shifted so that he shielded her from Kazuya's curious gaze, glaring and curling a hand into a fist.

"Hey, is she okay? She doesn't look too good." Kazuya asked worriedly, stepping fully off his bike. "Power's still out at the Sunset, why don't you come back to the restaurant with me? Our neighborhood's power didn't go out."

"You know this guy?" Kyou whispered out of the side of his mouth, not taking his eyes off Kazuya. "Is it safe?"

"I know him..." Yuki said softly back to him, nodding slightly. "And I don't think we really have a choice." Tooru's weight was pressing against his shoulder, causing it to throb with pain.

Sensing they were wavering Kazuya grinned. "C'mon I still owe you a meal for that great game yesterday."

"Thank you." Yuki said stiffly. He looked back at Tooru. "Honda-san, give me your things, I'll carry them."

Tooru blinked as if she was waking up, looking at the bags in her hands as if she just realized she was carrying them.

Kazuya wheeled his bike over, "Miss, if you want, you can ride behind me. It's not that far."

Tooru knew that she should be curious as to who this person was, how Yuki knew him, and worried about what was going to happen next. But she was just tired, enclosed in a buffer of gray exhaustion. She blinked at the bicycle seat, still holding her bags not having registered Yuki's offer to carry them. "I think I'd fall off." She said finally. She couldn't even conceive of trying to lift her arms and hold on, or being able to lever herself up onto the seat.

The boy nodded. "Okay, here then." He propped his bike up and opened up the delivery box. "You guys put your stuff in here and we'll just walk back."

Yuki put his things in first, and then took Tooru's from her hands and put them in. Kyou glanced at Yuki and Kazuya suspiciously before putting his on top. Seeing Tooru staring at her empty hands, he grabbed one rubbing it between his to warm it up. She blinked at him, but didn't protest.

"Let's go already. She's freezing." He said irritably. He was scared, any minute he expected someone to recognize him. For years he and Shishou had come up to this town to train and camp. They'd never spend much time at the town proper, but it wasn't like he didn't know he was distinctive. If they were spotted here, would they be found out? What would happen then? He threaded his fingers with hers needing to reassure himself that she wasn't already gone.

"This way." Kazuya said putting his kickstand up and starting to push his bike down the street, "Just down the road a bit and around the corner."

"Thank you." Yuki said, taking Tooru's other hand. She looked at their joined fingers and then up at him. "It won't be long now, Honda-san." It was humbling to realize all of their meager possessions fit in a delivery box. He winced as he turned. His back hurt and he'd been having difficulty taking deep breaths. He suspected he might have bruised a rib when he'd gotten hit with the branches or when the wall fell. It was hurting more as time went on and the last of the adrenaline in his system dissipated.

None of that bothered him as much as the thought that this could be some of the last moments he'd get to be with Tooru. He'd confessed to her, so at least he'd have the comfort of knowing she knew how he felt. But that wasn't much consolation to take back to the honke with him. His fingers tightened around hers. He'd go if it meant keeping her safe. He would.

Tooru felt her chilled fingers warm in the boys' hands as they walked down the street. It reminded her vividly of when she'd left her Aunt's house to live with the Soumas, by choice that time instead of necessity. It was a reassuring image and she held on to it as she floated in her exhaustion-induced limbo.

Kazuya propped his bike in front of a mid-size family restaurant, unhooked the delivery box and carried it through the door before any of them could protest. "Ma! Ma! I brought guests!" He shouted.

Following him in, the trio found themselves staring at half of the town. The tables were crowded with people. They stopped in the entryway, letting the door swing shut. There was silence, everyone in the restaurant looked over the bedraggled teens. Yuki and Kyou crowded protectively close to Tooru. They were suddenly reminded how filthy they were, how damp and ragged.

"Ma!" Kazuya called imperiously, setting down the delivery box. "It's that guy I told you about!" He didn't seem to notice the crowd of customers watching them like they were a floorshow.

"What are you yelling about?" A plump, harried woman pushed her way out of the kitchen. She wiped her hands on her apron. The family resemblance between mother and son was intense. "We're the only restaurant with power, I don't have time for- oh dear!"

Kazuya looked over his shoulder jerking a thumb at Yuki, "Ma, this is the soccer guy I told you about yesterday. I promised him dinner. He's Yuki." Kazuya raised his eyebrows at Tooru.

"This is Honda-san," Yuki said stepping forward and gestured to Kyou, "and Kyou. It's all right; we don't want to impose. We can see you're very busy. We can pay for dinner."

"Don't be ridiculous." The woman's face crumpled up in denial. "If Kazuya promised you dinner, that's the least we can do. Now come along dear and sit down..." Kazuya's mother stepped forward and put her hand on Tooru's shoulder. "Oh, you're soaking wet!"

Tooru's teeth were chattering. The restaurant was the first truly warm place she'd been in months but it only made her wet jacket and clothes feel colder. She felt light-headed and distant, but managed to give a wan smile, "I-I'm f-fine... I j-just d-don't have anything d-dry..."

Kazuya's mother made an o of concern. "You poor thing," she put the back of her hand against Tooru's forehead. "You're burning up! That's it then, upstairs with you. Doctor?" She looked into the sea of customers and an elderly man stood up, wiping his mouth on a napkin. He dropped it on his plate and reached under the table.

"I'm still here, Mai. I'll follow you up." He said coming up with an old-fashioned doctors case. He ran a critical eye over the two boys who watched this with matching looks of panic. "You two better come along as well."

"This way," Mai said leading them into the kitchen and gesturing to a flight of stairs along the back wall. Kazuya trailed in their wake. "We'll go up to Keiko's old room." She stumped her way upstairs and ushered them all into a small bedroom, decorated with outdated pop idol posters and stuffed animals. She looked over the three of them again. "Kazuya, go get the bath ready, and some of your clothes for the boys. Keiko's things will be big on her, but I don't think you'll mind, will you dear?"

Tooru shook her head mutely.

Kazuya disappeared out the door with a grin. "I'll be back in a bit. I don't know what all I have clean."

"You're very kind," Yuki started, bewildered as the rest of them by this unexpected kindness, "But this isn't necessary-"

"Shush up now." Mai said, "You boys follow me down to Kazuya's room. You two can take your bath while the doctor looks over your-" She paused trying to puzzle out the three's relationship, "friend."

"We'll stay." Kyou said stubbornly, setting his jaw.

"If that's alright with the young miss," the doctor interrupted, "I don't see the harm. If she wants you out, out you'll go." He gave a long look at Kyou.

"I-I d-don't m-mind." Tooru chattered. It had been months since she had been around people, and she couldn't remember when she hadn't had Yuki or Kyou nearby. The thought of being without either of them, in a room that seemed crowded with new people was terrifying. "I w-want..." She swallowed and started again, "I want th-them to s-stay."

"Mai," the doctor said, "Why don't you see to your customers downstairs. I'll look over these three."

The woman looked between them and threw her hands up into the air. "Fine, I'll just go make a tray up for dinner." She waddled out the door and they could hear her calling out for Kazuya to leave the clothes in the bathroom and to fetch fresh towels.

The doctor shook his head, opening his bag and taking out a stethoscope and a couple other tools, laying them out on the bed. "Mai was born to be a mother." He chuckled. "I can't count the number of stray cats, dogs and other critters she used to bring into my office when she was a girl. Brought a raccoon in a sack once. That was an adventure."

"You're a veterinarian?" Yuki said starting and stepping in front of Tooru. He'd thought he was a real doctor. He wasn't going to let some veterinarian poke and prod at Tooru no matter how well meaning.

"What?" The man blinked at him. "Oh! No, no... I was a... good friend... of Mai's father, so she brought everything to me. But that reminds me, we haven't been introduced." He gave a little bow. "I'm Doctor Kitagawa. You are?"

Yuki toyed briefly with giving a false name, but Kazuya already knew his and it could rapidly get too complicated. "Yuki Souma." He said stiffly, "This is my cousin Kyou." Kyou gave a taut nod from where he hovered behind Tooru. "And Honda-san." Yuki nodded at Tooru.

"T-tooru." The girl chattered. "D-Doctor-san can c-call me T-tooru..."

"Alright then, Tooru-kun," The doctor smiled as he stressed her name. "Why don't you get out of that wet coat and sit down." He pulled out the chair from the small wooden desk along the wall. "I'm going to take your temperature and listen to your breathing a little."

Tooru nodded and fumbled with numb fingers for the buttons of her coat. Kyou batted her hands away and made quick work of the buttons and helped her shrug off the coat. Yuki took her hand and helped her to the chair. They stood behind her like an honor guard, staring at the doctor.

The doctor took this in stride, not seeming to mind the audience. He shook out his thermometer, not really necessary since it was a new digital model, and popped the stethoscope into his ears. "All right then, put this under your tongue..." He listened to her breathing as she held it in place. He took out a little notepad, scribbling notes and jotting down her temperature. He pulled picked up a little tool and peered into her ears and down her throat with a penlight.

"What's this?" He said, brushing fingers across the raw welts and bruises along her neck. He looked up at the boys, looking surprised and suspicious.

"I fell." Tooru said, the warmth of the room finally sinking in enough to keep her from shivering. "Kyou-kun tried to catch me, but the collar..." She pulled at her shirt to demonstrate, showing how it rubbed against her neck.

"How many times did you fall?" Kitagawa asked, peeking at the bruises and poking at them. "I see more then one mark."

"I don't know." Tooru said, "Kyou-kun was trying to teach me... but I'm very bad at martial arts. I fell a lot."

"Ah... is that what you were doing...?" He said, relaxing a little and glancing up at the red-haired boy.

"She fell pretty hard once, on her back." Kyou said fitfully. "I don't think she hit her head... but she fell hard. It knocked the wind out of her. And she moved stiff afterward."

The doctor nodded, "Why don't you take off your shirt and let me have a look?"

Tooru reached to lift her shirt. She winced, her muscles sore. Yuki and Kyou glanced at each other and then turned their backs quickly. Tooru glanced at them and blushed as she removed her shirt. She hadn't even thought about them standing there. Her brain was moving sluggishly, still wrapped in gray. It wasn't as if they hadn't seen her in less, she reminded herself. And she was just going to be in her bra... Her bathing suit was more revealing. She looked up at the doctor as she finished pulling the damp shirt off.

Yuki couldn't help glancing down at her back out of the corner of his eye. He was shocked a couple of ugly black bruises and how prominently her shoulder blades poked through her skin. He hadn't realized how much weight she'd lost. The skin of her back was paper-white, a sharp contrast to brown tan of her arms and he could see that its pallor was unhealthy.

Kitagawa prodded at her back and ribs and asked her to move this way and that gauging her reactions. "It looks like you fell on a few rocks..." He murmured prodding at the bruises. She flinched as he prodded a particularly fresh one. "Or were laying against something..."

Tooru shuddered. "Last night... d-during the storm..." She stopped unable to say more. She didn't want to remember last night.

"I see..." The doctor didn't press her. "Well, it looks like you might have pulled a muscle slightly, here in your shoulder. But no serious damage done. No heavy lifting for the next few days." He looked up at Kyou, "She should stretch her shoulder in the mornings and at night before she goes to bed. You know the kind I mean?"

"Like..." Kyou stretched out his shoulders, "that?"

"Yes, good. Show her later. Now," he looked down at her. "It looks like you've got a little cold, just a little congestion in your sinuses. It hasn't moved to your chest, so as long as we nip it in the bud there shouldn't be anything to worry about. You do have a fever...how have you been feeling lately?"

"Fine." Tooru said, blinking at him.

"She's been having fevers on and off for a few weeks." Yuki interrupted. Tooru looked up at him in surprise. "You have." He insisted. He looked back at the doctor. "And she fainted not too long ago. She's always gotten fevers easily, whenever she works too hard or is worried. But she's been getting them more often."

"And she's been sleeping a lot." Kyou added. "And she's been dizzy." He glanced down at her, "I noticed you steadying yourself. And she's been weak, weaker then usual."

"I've been fine." She repeated, drawing her shoulders up and looking guilty and lost.

"Now these boys are being sensible." Kitagawa chided. "There is no shame in falling ill. Stop making them worry and be honest. You want to get better, you tell the doctor what's wrong."

Tooru flushed. "My stomach..." She said finally, "I've been queasy too... just a little."

"So," the doctor said reviewing his notes, "fever, dizziness, upset stomach, weakness, tired..." He looked over the three of them. "How have you been eating lately? Appetite?"

"Fine." Tooru said.

Kitagawa looked at the boys and raised an eyebrow.

They looked at each other. Yuki finally spoke, slowly, "Her appetite has been fine... but we haven't had much to eat...Some vegetables and yams."

"Fish." Kyou said, "We had some fish. And we didn't run out of rice until a couple of days ago."

"Yuki-kun found some strawberries." Tooru said.

The doctor stared at them.

"We've been camping." Yuki said firmly.

"Ah." The doctor said, shaking his head. "And how long have you been...camping... for?"

"A couple of months." Yuki said, lifting his chin challengingly. He put a hand on Tooru's shoulder reassuringly, and she covered it with hers. Her other hand was wound tight in the hem of Kyou's shirt. She didn't remember grabbing a hold of him, but he had his hands on the back of her chair and didn't seem to mind.

"Mmmm..." The doctor nodded, looking over his notes. There was a knock at the door.

"I've got a tray." Mai said through the door.

The doctor looked at the trio. Tooru held up her shirt, covering her chest. Kitagawa nodded and called, "Alright, come in."

"Here we are." She bustled in and set a laden tray on the table. There were covered bowls, three place settings, a small pitcher of water, and a teapot and teacups. "Oh, honey, don't put that back on." She said to Tooru who was trying to struggle into her shirt. She turned to a small chest of drawers by the bed and pulled out a robe. "You can wear this for now." She pulled out a set of pajamas and laid them on the bed. "And you can get into these after a bath."

Tooru put on the robe, relishing the feel of warm dry cloth against her skin. "Thank you so much."

Mai smiled broadly. "Don't mention it. These things were just going to waste anyway. Keiko's been married for three years, you'd think I'd be able to get rid of these things by now. I'm glad to see them getting some use." She turned to the doctor. "So how is she?"

The two boys tensed. Kyou's knuckles were white against the chair and Yuki looked like he was braced for a punch.

"She's got a little cold." The doctor said, putting fresh nubs on his tools and thermometer. "And she's malnourished. A couple of aspirin for the fever, few good meals and some rest and she'll be good as new. Alright, who's next?"

"That's it?" Kyou burst. "She's okay?"

"I wouldn't call suffering from the effects of starvation "okay." But as long as she's given a good diet from now on, she should recover just fine." The doctor affirmed. "Now it looks like you took a bump to the noggin..."

"He hit his head this morning." Tooru said scooting out of the chair. The food on the desk smelled inviting, but she was so hungry that it was making her queasy.

"Why don't you take your bath while the boys get looked over?" Mai said, "Dinner will stay warm. I made some stew." She looked at the doctor, "Is that okay for them to eat?"

He nodded, gesturing for Kyou to sit. "Yes, they shouldn't eat anything too rich for a couple of days, but anything is fine in moderation. Don't stuff yourselves, you'll make yourself sick."

Kyou slid into the chair and looked up at him, relief that Tooru wasn't seriously ill making him boneless.

"Go ahead and take your bath." Yuki said, not able to keep a grin off his face. "We'll be here waiting for you." She was okay, she was okay, she was okay.

"Alright." Tooru said reluctantly. She couldn't even imagine a hot warm bath and she hated the thought of Yuki and Kyou being out of her sight. But she was filthy and it wasn't like up on the mountain when they could all bathe together. She looked at Mai. "Where...?"

"This way..." She said and ushered her out of the room.

Yuki watched her go and then looked back at the doctor. "She's really going to be okay?"

"As long as she rests and gets a steady supply of healthy food." The doctor probed at Kyou's skull, examining where he'd hit his head that morning. He looked at Yuki out of the corner of his eye. "I think it would be a good idea if you gave up camping in this time of year."

"We'd planned on it." Yuki said wryly. He walked over to the tray of food. He didn't want to start before Tooru was back, but he was dying for some real tea. He reached for the pot and winced pulling something in his back.

"Hurt?" The doctor said, looking over at him. Kyou was staring at him too, thermometer sticking out of his mouth. His brow was furrowed.

"A little." Yuki said, "I think." He straightened. "But before that... what do we owe you for looking at Honda-san? And us?" He had a sinking feeling in his stomach. Doctors were expensive.

"Owe me?" Kitagawa blinked at him. "Son, I'm retired. I do this for fun now. Shush up about "owing me." He looked back at Kyou. "Is he always like that?" He asked taking the thermometer out.

"Yes." Kyou said, enjoying digging at him even if he was glad the rat'd thought to ask. Yuki flushed but let it drop, thankful that their meager stores of money weren't going to be depleted further. Since almost all their things had been destroyed in the storm they'd have even less to set up with when they finally settled somewhere. And they still didn't know where they were going to stay tonight and that would cost money too, he was sure.

Dr. Kitagawa finished checking over Kyou. He gave the same instructions to him that he gave to Tooru, rest, eat better, no more camping. "Your skull seems thick enough that I'm not too worried about that bump-"

"He has a very thick skull." Yuki agreed. Kyou glared at him.

"But just in case, if you start feeling woozy, or have problems with your vision be sure to see a doctor right away." Kitagawa shot Yuki an amused look. "It's your turn now. Get that jacket and shirt off, you've been favoring your side since you walked in."

Yuki sighed. He hated being examined by doctors. But his side ached and his whole back was sore. "Yes sir." He slowly started to ease out of his jacket, his shoulders and back protesting the simple movements. He managed to get himself unbuttoned, flushing that he had no shirt on underneath. He started to shrug his arm out of the sleeve, any time he moved it hurt. He started to pull off the jacket and cried out.

"Yuki-kun?" Tooru stepped back into the room, with hair tied up in wet, clean braids and dressed in pajamas two sizes too large.

He froze in the awkward position he was in, with his jacket half off, half on. His whole side was on fire and his back had seized up in one painful clench. He concentrated on remembering how to breathe. It hurt so much.

The doctor moved quickly, not trying to get him to move his arms, but getting him to sit perched on the edge of the chair. "Just be still for a moment son. Don't move. Let me." He gently guided the boy out of his jacket, handing it to Mai. He carefully moved his arms them into a more comfortable position.

"Kuso Nezumi..." Kyou breathed, having gone to reassure Tooru without even thinking about it. She clutched at his sleeve, but was staring at Yuki. "Your back!"

His left shoulder was one huge blue-black bruise, and there was a mark like a two by four had slammed diagonally across his back. His right side was purple from his armpit down to the edge of his pants.

"Oh my god!" breathed Mai.

"What the hell did you do to yourself?" The doctor got on his knees and probed at his ribs with expert fingers.

"I got in the way of a wall." Yuki managed the pain dying down to a manageable level.

"A _wall?_" The doctor repeated looking at him.

"We...we were up the mountain." Tooru said, her face white. "Kyou-kun built a little house..."

"A shack." Kyou corrected, not liking how wide her eyes were or how pale.

"And the storm came up, after Yuki-kun came home." Tooru wasn't looking at any of them, the protective gray buffer was gone and she was living it all over again. "The fire blew out and it was dark, and then there was wind." Her voice was tight and hysterical, and her breathing turned erratic. "And it fell apart. Yuki-kun went to get Mother..."

"There was someone else up there?" The doctor said sharply.

Yuki shook his head, standing carefully. "She's talking about a photograph of her mother. I went to get it and got hit by a branch." He touched the bruise on his shoulder. "Honda-san."

Tooru shook her head. "It all came apart!" She practically screamed. "The roof... the walls!"

"Tooru!" Kyou said gripping her shoulders. "It's okay! Snap out of it!"

"The wall hit Yuki-kun!" Tooru wailed. "We couldn't move, Yuki-kun was on top, and Kyou-kun, and it was hard to breathe and I couldn't see anything."

Yuki stepped towards her, gripping his side. "It's over. We're all fine."

Tooru's face crumpled. "Yuki-kun got hurt."

"It's fine." Yuki insisted. He took her hands. "It's fine."

She clutched at his hands and started sobbing. And then she couldn't catch her breath.

"She's hyperventilating." The doctor said. "Sit her down."

Yuki gingerly pulled her over to the chair while Kyou fussed over her, rubbing her back and keeping an arm slung over her shoulder. The doctor poured her a cup of water. "Drink that, try to do it in one breath."

She was shaking like a leaf, but she got most of the water down. Her breathing evened out, but she couldn't stop crying and she'd given herself the hiccups. Kitagawa poured her another cup of water and shook out a pill from a bottle in his bag. "Take that."

She took the pill and looked around her blinking. "I... I'm sorry, I..."

"It's all right. I suspected something like that might happen." The doctor said, patting her hand. "You were in shock dear. It's a perfectly normal." He said the last as much to reassure Yuki and Kyou as he did her.

"Happens to the best of us." Mai said soothingly.

"What did you just give her?" Kyou asked watching her color return to normal.

"Just a tranquilizer. Something to calm her down." He looked at Yuki, "Let's let her catch her breath while I finish up with you. Does it hurt when you turn like this?" He quizzed Yuki trying to find out his range of motion through a series of questions, probing at his ribs and back.

"I don't think you've broken anything, but I'd feel better if we could take you to the hospital and get a few x-rays." He said finally.

"No hospitals." Yuki said firmly, his face white with pain.

Kitagawa looked like he wanted to argue, but something in Yuki's face made him stop. "Fine. I want you to keep your chest wrapped for at least a week. No heavy lifting, and I'm going to give you a series of stretches to do. If it starts hurting more, especially if you get a sharp pain, or any difficulty breathing, I want you in a hospital, no arguments." He looked at Tooru. "You'll make sure of it?"

"I will!" She promised. She yawned hugely. "Oh! I'm sorry."

"That's just the pill working." The doctor smiled. "It's working fast because your stomach is empty. You should eat before you pass out." He handed her a bowl and a spoon. He looked at Yuki. "Go bathe so I'm not putting bandages over dirty skin. I'll give you something for the pain and to relax the muscles too."

"Yes, sir." Yuki said.

"Kazuya left a change of clothes in there for you." Mai said. She looked at Kyou. "Maybe you ought to go with him if he needs help?"

"I'm not helping him wash!" Kyou said startled.

"I don't want you to!" Yuki spat back. "I'm fully capable of bathing myself!"

"But..." Tooru said, swallowing a mouthful of food. The rich meaty stew was pure heaven. "Yuki-kun's back..." She put her bowl down on the desk. "I could-"

"NO!" Kyou and Yuki chorused together. Tooru started and blushed.

"Fine." Kyou said not looking at Yuki. "I'll help him, you eat your food." He stomped out of the room.

"I don't _need_ help." Yuki's cheeks were bright red. "We'll get cleaned up and be right back." He said to Tooru and followed, passing Kazuya as he left.

"I wouldn't mind washing his back." Mai said speculatively.

"_Ma-a!_" Kazuya cried. "_Gross!_" He made a face. "Dad says he needs you downstairs, it's getting crazy."

"I'll be down in a little while. I want to make sure our guests are settled."

Tooru shivered, she could feel the medicine working it's way through her, relaxing all the tension from her body against her will. She hoped Yuki and Kyou would be quick with their baths; she wanted them back with her. She looked down at her empty bowl, not remembering finishing it. She looked up at Mai and the doctor, but her eyes were closing and getting harder to open.

Yuki gingerly poured the cold water over his head, determined that he'd wash himself much to Kyou's relief. The cat glanced at the rat's back, the bruises stark against his pale skin.

"Maybe you should go to the hospital." He said.

"We'd be caught for sure." Yuki said shortly.

Kyou concentrated on washing the mud out of his hair without touching the goose egg on his head. "But what if you do have broken ribs? That's serious."

"I've had broken ribs before." Yuki snorted. "That hurts much worse." He stood up gingerly and started toweling off as best he could.

Kyou blinked wondering when Yuki could have gotten his ribs busted and by who. "You should soak for a while." The rat looked over at him in surprise. "To loosen up the muscles, the heat helps."

"I don't want to leave Honda-san alone."

Kyou rinsed the soap off and grabbed a towel. "I'm almost ready to go back too." He concentrated on drying himself off as Yuki dressed in a pair of sweatpants. He held the shirt slung over his arm so the doctor could wrap him before he got dressed.

"Do you really think she's okay?" Kyou finally asked the question that was burning in his mind.

"The doctor doesn't have any reason to lie." Yuki answered, about to leave the washroom. He paused, impatient with waiting for Kyou to get dressed, but wanting to take the moment of privacy to discuss this. "Physically I think she'll be okay. But I think she was really scared last night." They all had been. He really thought he was going to die, his chest tightened and he almost felt like he was going to have an attack. He spread his fingers across his chest, willing the airways to loosen.

"I'm sorry." Kyou said, and Yuki blinked. "If I'd built it better it wouldn't have come apart." His hands were shaking as he tried to button the loose pajama top Kazuya had given him. "I almost killed her."

"Baka Neko." Yuki said automatically. Yuki couldn't look at him; afraid the knot in his chest would loosen into big wracking sobs, worse then Tooru's. She really did almost die last night. He kept talking to distract himself. "There were buildings in town, professionally built, that got almost as much damage as we did. We all decided to come up here... No one can be blamed for a storm."

"Whatever." Kyou said, ashamed about the heat and water behind his eyes. "Let's get back to her. I'm hungry." He stormed past Yuki and outside the washroom. "Hurry up."

Yuki winced when he moved a little too fast for his protesting back. "Baka Neko."

:0:0:

The doctor stood outside the bedroom door when they returned, the tray on the floor at his feet. He put his finger up to his lips. "Shhh, she's asleep and I think it best that she rest."

Kyou crossed his arms, looking at the door stubbornly. He wanted to be inside, to see for himself that she was safe and really there. Yuki walked past them as if the doctor hadn't spoken, cracking open the door and peeking in.

Tooru was on the bed, sleeping in the boneless way of the drugged. He felt Kyou come up behind him, peeping over his shoulder. Her hair was spread across the pillow and she seemed tiny and lost inside the bedding.

"She passed out at the desk and Mai got her into bed." Kitagawa said. "Let her sleep off the tranquilizer." He gestured to Yuki. "Now I want to get those ribs wrapped. And take this, it's a bit weak, but all I have on hand for painkillers. It'll just take the edge off."

"Yes sir." Yuki said, taking the pill with a sip of tea and let the old man wrap the bandages tight around his ribs and back. "Um...I heard the Sunset got damaged in the storm... Is there another hotel or inn in this town... Once Honda-san wakes up we should find someplace to stay for the night."

"Son, if you think Mai is going to let you go anywhere tonight you're sadly mistaken. She's already had Kazuya set up futons in his room for you two."

"No way, I'm..." Kyou quickly corrected himself. "_We're_ staying with her."

"Don't talk nonsense." Mai said, a light flush over her chubby cheeks. "That's not proper." She stood at the top of the stairs. "I came up to check to see if you boys need anything else. Is the food still warm?"

Kyou looked like he was ready to argue, but Yuki put a hand on his arm. "Thank you for your hospitality. I'm sure the food is fine." He looked at Kyou. "We don't want to wake Honda-san... it's just one night."

Kyou shook off his arm and stomped over to the tray. He sat on the floor and grabbed his bowl. He ate a spoonful of the stew and looked up at Mai. "It's fine. Thanks." Kyou turned back to his food, obviously pouting.

"I'm sorry for his rudeness." Yuki said wryly, ignoring the dirty look Kyou shot at him. "Um... our things...Kazuya-san had them in his delivery box..."

"Oh, those things." Mai waved a hand. "I took the clothes out to wash tomorrow, and the rest of it's down in the storage room drying out."

"You didn't have to do that..." Yuki said, disturbed at how quickly this had all gone out of his control. He didn't think there was anything that would reveal who they were in their things, but the thought of someone going through them bothered him.

"It's no bother." Mai said cheerfully, turning on the step and waving. "It's crazy downstairs, you boys go right to bed after you finish, alright? Leave the tray in the hall."

Kitagawa chuckled. "Alright then, I'm just about done with you as well." He handed Yuki a slip of paper. "For the next couple of weeks, I want you three to take these supplements and vitamins." He held up a hand to forestall any complaints and handed Yuki a second slip. "This is for a muscle relaxant and a pain reliever, you'll probably need it more tomorrow then you did today... get that filled as soon as you can. If you haven't got the money for it, just tell them that Kitagawa sent you and they'll put it all on my tab."

"That shouldn't be necessary." Yuki said stiffly, unused to taking charity. He'd always wondered why Tooru had objected so vehemently when he or Shigure had gifted her with little things she needed or wanted but couldn't afford. Now he understood, it was humiliating.

"But those medications are." Kitagawa said firmly. "That girl in there, and you two as well, can't afford to be choosey. You damaged your bodies by not eating proper; you've got to stop the damage before you harm yourselves permanently. And suffering through pain isn't noble, it's just stupid and it'll take longer for you to heal."

Yuki flushed, hating that he was so obvious and easy to read. "Yes sir."

"Good lad." Kitagawa patted him gently on the shoulder, mindful of his injuries. "Mai knows how to reach me if you have any problems. You go ahead and eat your supper... I'm going to see what Mai's offering for dessert today." He grinned and shuffled his way down the stairs.

Kyou waited for him to disappear down the stairs. "Do you really think we should stay here?"

"Do we have a choice?" Yuki said, sitting down on the other side of the tray. The smell of the rich stew was making his stomach cramp. He ate a few mouthfuls. "If we insist on leaving they're going to think we have something to hide and get curious." The food was heavenly. "They already know we're runaways for sure."

"Then we should leave!" Kyou said, tossing his finished bowl on the tray. "Who cares if they get "curious", we'd be gone before anyone turned up."

"Do you really think Honda-san is up to that?" Yuki said jerking his chin towards the door. He looked down at his bandaged chest ruefully. "Or me?" He shook his head. "If it was just me, I'd tell you to take her and run. But she needs rest, and these medicines..." He looked at the slip of paper.

Kyou made a disgusted noise. "Like she'd leave without _you_." He stood up. "If we're not going, I'm going to sleep." He stalked into Kazuya's room and stared at the futons laid out on the floor. He and the damn rat were right next to each other. He muttered curses and pulled his futon as far away as he could without getting in the way of the doorway or bed. He threw himself down on it and tossed the blankets over him. He closed his eyes resolutely. They popped open in less than a minute. He hadn't slept without Tooru at his back in months...he couldn't remember how to relax without her breath on the back of his neck.

Damn rat. Like he could leave with Tooru and leave the rat behind... he might not be very smart, but he knew that'd never fly with her. And what was he supposed to do? He'd never lived on his own in a city or town, just in that shack. He didn't know how to get an apartment, he'd never had a job, and how would they get Tooru back in school with just him working? The Rat had always done all of their planning when they were traveling up here, choosing trains and routes; he was always three steps ahead of what anyone else was thinking. Kyou curled up into a tighter ball, he hated the Rat, and wanted him to just die... but he didn't know how he and Tooru would manage without him.

Yuki ate slowly, feeling constricted and uncomfortable in his bandages. He tried to concentrate on that, and the growing fullness in his stomach, and not the cat's words. "Like she'd go without _you_, either." He muttered to himself. He'd said as much to Kin the other night. It didn't mean she felt for him the way he felt for her. It was just that she was too sympathetic and soft for her own good. She'd grow up to be like Mai, inviting in any stray she saw off the street. Yuki had a vision of an older Tooru, plump and matronly, her hair bobbed in an old lady fashion, surrounded by stray cats. He nearly choked on the last of his stew.

Tooru might not want to leave without either of them... but surely she'd be safer with the cat then with him. The cat could read her like a book, knew when she needed comforting, knew when to let her stand on her own. He made her laugh. People liked and trusted the cat, even if he was rude. Yuki knew that people always looked at him with suspicion. Together, Tooru and Kyou could blend into any community, even with Kyou's red hair and distinctive looks. Yuki stuck out. And it would be Yuki that Akito would be the most persistent about finding.

He put his empty bowl on the tray and struggled to his feet, his back and ribs flaring with pain. He leaned against the wall and stumbled his way into Kazuya's room. It was an effort to get into the empty futon, and for the first few minutes he just lay there and concentrated on breathing. This was the second night in a week that he didn't have Tooru next to him and last night hardly counted. He wanted to be looking at her back, he wanted to feel her warmth radiating off her at him. Instead all he could see was a lump made up of the Baka Neko as he fitfully slept across the room. Yuki hurt, ached and felt very alone. If he hadn't been so exhausted, he probably wouldn't have been able to fall asleep at all.

:0:0:

The first thing she was aware of was warmth. She was blessedly warm, and completely dry. The second thing was that she was in a bed with a thick pillow and a pile of blankets. Third, that it was dark and she was alone. She clutched at the blankets, looking around. Mai-san's daughter's bedroom... she was at the restaurant. But where was Kyou? Where was Yuki? Had someone called the Soumas? Had they left her behind? Was she alone now?

She scrambled out of bed, falling to the floor as the blankets tangled around her legs. She crouched on the floor listening for noises. She stood and crept to the doorway. Maybe... maybe if the Soumas came... Yuki and Kyou might not have said that she was there to protect her memories. She put her hand on the doorknob and rested her forehead on the door. She didn't want, couldn't bear, to lose them. "Please, still be here." She whispered.

She opened the door and peered fearfully into the dark hallway. "Yuki-kun? Kyou-kun?" Her voice came out high-pitched and squeaky. "Hello?" She stepped out, her heart beating a mile a minute. Where were they? "Kyou-kun! Yuki-kun!" She cried, her voice gaining in volume and very close to tears.

"What's the matter?" Kyou looked sleepily out of a doorway down the hall.

"Kyou-kun!" She cried, ran up to him and hugged him tight. She registered a warm body and that his arms started wrap around her before he dissolved into his cat form. She managed to catch him before he fell to the floor.

"Honda-san?" It had been a hard to get up out of the futon and Yuki wobbled over to the doorway. In just the few hours he'd been asleep his back had stiffened up horribly and it was hard to move. He winced as he bent to pick up Kyou's clothes. He straightened and looked over his shoulder. Kazuya was still sound asleep on the bed.

Tooru latched onto him, "Yuki-kun!" She leaned into him, against his arm. They were here, they were both here, and she hadn't lost them. "I woke up and I was all alone."

"I told them we should stay with you." Kyou said, stretching his head up to but against her chin comfortingly. "But Mai wouldn't let us."

"Let's go downstairs." Yuki said quickly. "We don't want to disturb anyone." Mai and her husband were sleeping in a room not far from them. It was on the other side of the small living room that branched off the hallway.

Unwilling to let him go, Tooru clutched his shirtsleeve like a small child as he led the way down the dark staircase. They walked through the kitchen and into the eerily quiet restaurant. They chose a booth in the back. Tooru slid into the seat, clutching Kyou tight against her chest. She looked up at Yuki as he perched gingerly on the outside edge of the booth. She turned and hugged him, barely noticing the shock on his face. She just had to feel him close, even if it was just a few seconds before he was gone into a gray cloud of smoke. She felt him fall against her chest and shifted to keep his little rat form from falling.

"Honda-san?" Yuki asked, his voice muffled against her arm. He squirmed a little to pop his head up to look at her. She could feel Kyou rumbling and rubbing his head against her neck to comfort her.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Tooru said, holding them tighter. She knew how they hated to transform. "Please, just let me... for a little while." But she needed this.

"Honda-san, I'm sorry." Yuki said. "I didn't think what would happen if you woke up." Tooru loosened her death grip on them, allowing Kyou to slide to her lap and helping Yuki on to the seat beside her.

"I **told** them we should stay with you," Kyou repeated. "I told them."

"I thought...I was afraid that you'd left." She said, addressing both of them, rubbing at her eyes. "That I was alone." She hated this, she hated that all she seemed to do these days was cry and cling. She wanted to be strong like her mother, independent and someone other people could depend on. Instead all she seemed to do was make problems for the people she cared about most.

"I'm sorry we frightened you." Yuki put his paws on her knee, arching to look up at her, even though his back hurt just as bad in his rat form as his human form.

Kyou slid off her lap, but leaned against her on the other side comfortingly. "Like we'd just leave, stupid."

"I know." Tooru said, trying to smile. "I know."

Yuki cleared his throat. "Since we're all together..." He started hesitantly. "We should talk about what we're doing next. It's a good time, we're alone."

"Maybe we should go now." Kyou said, "Just get our stuff and leave before they wake up. We can get those prescriptions filled at any pharmacy."

"And go where?" Yuki asked dismissively. "Besides, there are things I left with Kin-san at the local pharmacy and Mai-san separated our belongings somewhere. We can't afford to leave all that behind."

"We have to thank Mai-san for having us too." Tooru said, "We can't just leave without repaying her somehow."

Kyou hunched into a frustrated ball. Being here in town made him nervous. He wasn't used to all these people. "We should try to leave as soon as possible." He insisted. "The longer we stick around, the more likely someone will recognize me."

"Don't be so conceited." Yuki said, shaking his head...which in his rat form more involved waving his whole body back and forth. "You're really not that memorable. I forget about you all the time."

"What is with that snotty attitude!" Kyou yelled. He leaned over Tooru's legs to take a swipe at the rat with his claws. "Like you don't stick out too!"

"You don't think that if we suddenly just disappear they aren't going to get suspicious? They might think we've done something illegal and call the police!" Yuki said, dancing stiffly out of the cat's reach.

Kyou scrabbled up on to Tooru's lap and arched his back angrily. "So what? We'd be gone!"

"But then they'd know where to start looking!" Yuki spat back.

Tooru started to giggle, their squabbling making her feel more reassured then any amount of hugs or platitudes ever could.

"If we just act like we're not hiding from anyone they-" Yuki was cut off when he transformed back, suddenly very close to Tooru and very naked. He gave an undignified yelp and turned quickly away. "Aaaah..." He groaned as he moved too quickly for his damaged back and ribs. He leaned forward a little, hunching at the pain.

Tooru grabbed at his clothes scattered around the booth and came up with a handful of bandages. "Your bandages!" She stretched the strip of fabric between her hands. "Do you know how to put these back on?"

"Yes." Yuki managed, he just didn't know how he'd manage it by himself. "But before that... my pants?"

"Oh. Oh!" Tooru grabbed them and handed him them over his shoulder. She gave a belated blush. She was starting to get used to seeing them half naked. The bruises on his back were more shocking then his bare backside.

Yuki struggled into his pants, hampered by the close quarters of the booth and his injuries. He froze when he felt a hand smoothing over the skin of his back. He closed his eyes and shivered. "H-Honda-san?" He said hesitantly, looking over his shoulder at her. She was acting so strange, both yesterday and tonight. The doctor had said she was in shock. He didn't really understand what that meant, but in movies it usually meant the person got overly emotional, which seemed to fit... and sometimes irrational. Was she still in shock? He wished he could call Hatori.

"Four times now, I've lost my home." She said softly, her fingers tracing lightly over his bruises. There was more dark skin then light.

"Four times?" Yuki repeated, his skin twitching at her touch.

"First my lost the home with Mother, then my tent, then Shigure-san's house, and now our home in the clearing. Shigure-san once asked me if it was painful." She put her cheek to his back and listened to him breathe and reveling in the sound of his heartbeat. "But more then homes, it's losing people that's painful. I almost lost Yuki-kun. I couldn't bear that."

"Honda-san." Yuki exhaled, and turned towards her. "I'm-"

Tooru understood now why Kyou had kissed her after she'd fallen. When you thought you nearly lost someone you cared about all you wanted to do was touch and feel and reassure yourself that they were real, alive and warm. It was why she kissed Yuki now.

Kyou backed up off her lap, scrabbling to the back of the booth. He was not watching her kiss the damn rat!

It was only her second kiss, and his first, so it was brief and sweet. She brushed her lips against his, and applied a little bit of pressure. She wondered how his lips could be firm and yielding at the same time and that he tasted like tea.

He broke it off, pulling her hands away from his neck. She hadn't even realized she'd reached for him. He looked down at his lap, his throat as tight as when he had an attack. He looked up at her, his eyes liquid, eerie and beautiful. "Honda-san..." He choked up and couldn't continue. He'd told her he loved her, and this was her answer.

There was a distinctive "pyon!" noise and orange smoke. Yuki looked up and met the agonized eyes of Kyou for a second before the cat looked away. Yuki had forgotten he was there. There was a small smug voice inside him that rejoiced and thought _there, we're even_. Except that they weren't, because Kyou had kissed Tooru but Tooru had kissed Yuki and that wasn't the same thing at all.

Kyou fumbled for his clothes. He had to leave, he had to get out of there.

"Kyou-kun?"

He couldn't turn to look at her. Now he understood how the Rat could offer to leave. It might be awful never to see her again, but it was worse seeing her like that. But he couldn't offer to leave; he didn't have anywhere to go. He just couldn't be here, right now.

"Kyou-kun?" Tooru repeated, reaching for him.

"I can't do this." He said, "I'll go, ok? I'll go!" He was desperate. "You two, go wherever, I won't tell anyone if they find me."

"Go?" Tooru said, her voice tiny and confused.

Kyou slid around the table to the escape out of the other side of the booth. He didn't care that he was naked. He didn't care that he didn't even know where to run to. He felt ripped inside out and exposed.

"Kyou-kun!" Tooru caught him before he was able to escape, pressing up against his back. She flung an arm around his neck. "Don't go!"

He turned into her embrace, prying her arms off and keeping her from hugging him. He put his head in the crook of her neck, drinking in her smell and wetting her with tears. "I can't do this, I can't. I love you, but if you love him I can't be here."

"But I love Kyou-kun." Tooru said shaking her hands free of his grasp and wrapping her arms around his head and shaking shoulders.

Kyou drew back as if burned, shaking off the comfort of her half embrace. "But you just kissed _him_." He looked over to see the rat staring at them. He looked small, weak and hurt and Kyou was sure his own face looked the same.

Tooru looked at Yuki. "I love Yuki-kun too."

Just yesterday the thought of saying "I love you" to either of them would have brought on a fit. But it was obvious to her now, she felt like she was bursting and had to tell them. If they had died yesterday and they never knew... or if they left tomorrow taken by the Soumas, and she didn't tell them, she'd die. She'd burst open and die.

"It can't be both of us!" Kyou's voice was harsh; he grabbed her shoulders and gave her a hard shake. "Which one do you love _more?_"

"More?" Tooru said in a small voice. She looked between the two of them, the agony she was causing them was etched into their faces. She didn't have any doubt about how they felt for her. Nothing hurt as badly as love. Her heart felt like it was seizing up. What had she done? She'd trapped herself in a corner, now no matter what she said she would lose one of them. Which one could she live with out? It was asking with leg could she do without, her left or her right? Which eye? Which was more important, your heart or your lungs? She started to feel like she couldn't catch her breath, like her lungs were seizing up.

"Honda-san!" Yuki cried, grabbing her back from Kyou. "Listen to me! Take deep breaths. Breathe."

She couldn't _breathe_ and her heart felt like it would thrust it's way out of her ribs. Her face scrunched up and her eyes blurred with tears. It hurt, it hurt so much. Her vision began to sparkle with black diamonds.

"She's going to pass out! I thought that goddamn doctor said she was alright!"

It was like she was hearing Kyou's voice from a far distance.

Yuki slapped her across the face, quick stinging crack that shocked her upright. "Listen to me." He said firmly. "Breathe in. Breathe out."

Tooru took a deep, shaky breath.

"Kuso Nezumi!" Kyou spat, grabbing her hands. "What the hell!"

"She was getting hysterical."

"You didn't have to hit her!"

Tooru concentrated on taking deep breaths. Kyou had her nestled in the crook of his arm; if she moved a little to the left she'd transform him. She turned her head into his shoulder, ashamed but glad he wasn't trying to move away.

"It was the only thing I could think to do!" Yuki said. He had her hands between his and was rubbing them soothingly. "I'm sorry, Honda-san. I'm sorry." She gripped his hands tight.

"I can't choose." She squeaked, her throat still threatening to seal up and steal her breath. "I can't. I can't." She felt Yuki's fingers convulse around hers and Kyou stiffen behind her.

"Shhhh. Shhh. Shhhh..." Yuki said soothingly, worried she'd work herself up into another fit. "I don't think right now is the time to have that conversation."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Kyou hissed. His arm had snaked around her waist, keeping her upright and against him. He rubbed her hip, trying to make sure she knew it wasn't her that he was mad at.

"We're all tired, and not thinking clearly." Yuki said calmly, but his hands were shaking making it obvious he was just as upset as the others. "We've been through a lot, and none of us are healthy. We've had a good scare." He looked at Tooru. "I thought was going to lose you, last night." He brought her hands to his forehead, hiding his face.

He looked up at Kyou over her shoulder. "So did you, I can tell." He looked away. "Going through things like that...makes people confused."

Tooru watched him struggle to put what they were all feeling into words. "So what do we do?" She whispered.

"I can't pretend that I'm not glad Honda-san said... what she said... to me." Yuki said, taking a deep breath and sitting straight. "But... I think that maybe Honda-san was just reacting to what happened." He reached out and cupped her face. "I do love Honda-san. I have for a long time. But I've also known that she loves..." He glanced at Kyou and saw the shock on his face, "I know I'm not the one you really love the most."

Tooru leaned into his hand, tears coursing down her face because he was right and completely wrong at the same time. She was reacting to what happened, and she did love Kyou, but that didn't make her love for him any less real.

Kyou swore, violently enough to make them both start and stare at him. "Kuso Nezumi, everyone thinks you're so smart. But you're frickin' idiot!" He turned his face into Tooru's shoulder.

"Damn fool! Baka!" He looked up and glared at the mouse. "When you went away, all she did was moon at the path waiting for you to come back. Every time you have a frickin' mood swing she frets and worries herself sick over you. She treats everything you say like gold thrown at her feet!" He put his face back into her neck, wanting to kiss it. "I feel like I've loved you forever, but I know I'm not good enough for you and I know it's the Rat you're always watching. I've got eyes."

"Then why don't you use them!" Yuki said, flushed bright red at Kyou's insinuations. Did she really watch him? "You're the one she laughs with, you're the one who makes her feel better!"

"You're the one she listens to!" Kyou spat back, "Every time we have to decide something she looks at you first!" Who cared if he made her laugh, that wouldn't feed her, that couldn't make her feel safe.

"But you're the one she's always touching!" Yuki insisted, his heart beating fast. "She flinches every time I come near, but you, you she cuts your hair and lets you run your hands through hers, and-"

"She kissed you!" Kyou practically shouted. "It took her hours to just admit she "_didn't dislike_" it when I kissed her-"

"But-"

"_Please_, stop it!" Tooru hunched in the seat drawing back from both of them. She couldn't take the lists and catalogues of how she'd looked or acted around one boy or the other. All those times they'd fought, all those times they'd said it wasn't her making them uncomfortable, they'd lied.

She'd been hurting them for months! "I'm sorry! Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun are the most important people to me, and love them. I do!" She insisted when it looked like they both might argue. "But I just keep hurting them. Because for me, there is no "more" no "better." There is just my heart." She put her hands over her heart. "I'm selfish, and stupid, and needy, and I can understand if Yuki-kun or Kyou-kun don't want to be with me anymore." She started to cry. "But my heart, my heart hurts! When I woke up and thought that Kyou-kun and Yuki-kun were gone, I thought I would die. Please don't leave." She looked up at them, knowing her nose was running and she was a mess. She knew that she was just trapping them because they were too kind to deny her. But she could live with the guilt, but she couldn't live without them, not either of them. "Please."

"I'm," Yuki glanced at Kyou; he gave an infinitesimal nod. "We're not going anywhere." He felt like he'd been sucking in helium instead of air, light headed and breathless. Tooru said she loved him, Kyou pointed out ways in which she did, so she must really love him at least a little. He was exhausted and his body ached and he could set aside, at least for a moment, to make her stop crying, that she felt the same way about the cat.

"We won't go anywhere without you." He promised. "We'll work all..._this_...out later." He straightened and winced as his back pulled.

"Kuso Nezumi." Kyou said, no venom in the insult. "You should get your bandages back on."

"Baka Neko," Yuki said wryly as he gathered up the bandages, "You should think about putting on your clothes."

Tooru glanced down at body she leaned against and sat up quickly, glowing red. Kyou cursed and turned away. He'd forgotten that he hadn't managed to get back into his clothes. He wiggled his way into his pants, swearing and muttering. But as embarrassed as he was, as tired and upset, he couldn't stop the heat that coursed through his blood. She said she loved him. The rat said she loved him. There had to be some truth in it, didn't there? He couldn't hardly hope... but if it was possible... He looked back at her. Maybe it would be only for a little while until she saw what he did between her and the rat, but wasn't it worth anything to have that, to have her love, for a little while?

"Let me help." Tooru said as Yuki struggled to wrap his ribs. "Just show me how." She took the bandages from his fingers and started to wrap him as he directed. She winced when he told her to pull the stretchy bandages tight and he paled as she did. By the time she was done, her hands were shaking. She was exhausted. Kyou already sat back against the booth, still shirtless, but at least had gotten his pants on. She slid back into place next to him and leaned her head on his shoulder. She couldn't get enough of touching them.

Kyou took her hand and closed his eyes so he wouldn't see Yuki sliding in place on her other side.

Yuki took her hand and moved closer when she tugged at his hand. He leaned his head against hers and closed his eyes. His ribs did feel better supported by the bandages He sighed into her hair. "Tomorrow, we have to go to the pharmacy. Kitagawa-sensei gave us prescriptions to fill, and I left some of the things I bought there."

"Then what?" Kyou asked sleepily.

"I bought clothes for Honda-san and myself." Yuki yawned, "But you should get something new for yourself, something presentable. Then we should decide where we're going."

"I don't care." Tooru whispered. "As long as Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun are there. Before we go," she interrupted herself with a huge yawn, "we have to do something to thank Mai-san and Kazuya-san... and Kitagawa-sensei too..."

"Mmmm." Yuki agreed, dozing.

"I like this." Tooru said softly. "It's like the hot spring." She relished the heat pouring off their bodies and into hers. She felt safe for the first time in days, nestled securely between them. She squeezed their hands, bringing them to rest in her lap.

"Except dry." Kyou said wryly. He loved the feel of her snuggling against his arm. He gave a jaw-popping yawn and leaned his head against hers. "We should go back to bed, it'll be dawn soon."

None of them moved.

"Please, just a little longer." Tooru whispered, squeezing their hands. She didn't want to go back to that dark room all by herself.

"Just a little bit." Yuki agreed and promptly fell asleep.

:0:0:


	20. Humidity

"Okay, kids," A cheerful voice proclaimed. "Up and at 'em. It's only an hour or so 'till opening."

They started awake, looking around themselves blearily.

"Wha...who?" Kyou said intelligently.

There was a broad-shouldered man, in his late twenties-early thirties, looking down at them with a grin. He wore the standard uniform of a cook, white sleeveless t-shirt, round beanie like hat hiding his hair, and an apron tied around his thick waist. Yuki looked at him, blinked, put his head back on Tooru's shoulder and closed his eyes.

"Good morning!" The man said. "You must be Mai's newest strays." He stuck out his hand to Kyou, frowning when Tooru shrunk back from him against the boy's arm. "I'm Hiroki, I work for Mai. We were too busy last night for me to come up and welcome you. You all better get a move on if you don't to greet half the town in your pjs. Power is still out in most of the town, so I expect breakfast will be busy today."

"Kyou," the cat introduced himself shortly, his hand gripping the man's tight before letting it go. "Tooru." He jerked his chin towards Tooru, then nodded at Yuki at the end. "Yuki."

"Nice to meet you," the man grinned, taking Kyou's rudeness in stride.

"Breakfast is ready!" Mai said cheerfully, sailing out of the kitchen with a platter full of food. Kazuya followed with a tray of tea and a skinny man followed them carrying large pail of rice. "Sit down Hiro." She set the platter down on a fully set table next to the booth and Kazuya and the other man were quick to set theirs down and sit.

"I'm not done setting up the place settings." Hiroki replied, and Kyou noticed he had a trio of bowls in his hand. Hiro set one in front of each of them and plunked down some pre-wrapped chopsticks. They already had plates and teacups.

Kyou's cheeks burned. How soundly had they been asleep? He straightened moving a little away from Tooru. She kept a tight grip on his hand. She sat up too, as much as she was able with Yuki still soundly asleep on her shoulder. It disturbed Kyou how timid she was behaving. She'd never been scared of people before.

Mai bustled over and served them each a heaping bowl of rice, slid a few slices of egg on their plates and gave them a slab of fish. "There's more if you want it, so don't be shy." She grinned. "Tea?"

"Yes, please." Tooru said, her voice almost inaudible. "Thank you."

"Wake up now." Mai said and put a gentle hand on Yuki's shoulder and gave him a gentle shake. "Breakfast!" Yuki opened an eye and looked at Mai. He frowned, scrunched his eyes tight, and turned away and nuzzled into Tooru's neck, refusing to wake.

Blushing hotly, Tooru set down her tea. "Umn, ano... Yuki-kun sometimes has a little trouble waking up." She put her hands on his shoulder and carefully pushed him off her. She adjusted him so that he was sitting up nearly straight, opened up his chopsticks and put them in his hands. "Breakfast, Yuki-kun."

Yuki blinked at his full plate and then looked at his chopsticks. Tooru moved his bowl of rice in front of him and used her chopsticks to put a piece of the fish on top of it. The mouse began to mechanically eat.

"Um... Thank you very much." Tooru said, shrinking against Mai and her family's incredulous looks.

"Thank you." Kyou repeated then looked at Tooru. "Eat, you."

"Okay." Tooru said ducking her head, picking up a morsel of rice with her chopsticks and peeping at the people staring at her.

Mai shook herself out of her bemusement. "Oh, that's right, you haven't met my husband." She turned to the skinny man. He was already halfway through a bowl of rice. He swallowed hastily and waved his chopsticks at them cheerfully. "This is Ginta. He's the main cook here, and I and Hiroki - You met Hiroki?" Tooru and Kyou nodded. "We assist him, though I do more serving and waitressing then anything else."

Hiroki sat across from them in the booth, putting full plates down and settling into eat. "And they keep my ugly mug in the kitchen."

"I do deliveries, and dishes." Kazuya chimed in, his mouth full of rice. He looked at Kyou. "Do you play soccer too?"

"Uh, sometimes." Kyou said noncommittally, remembering he'd said something about the rat playing soccer last night too. He sent a narrowed look at Yuki. He was still sleep-eating, methodically working his way through is bowl of rice.

"Don't even think about playing today." Mai said sitting at the table and dishing herself out a large serving. "We're going to be swamped."

"But Ma-"

"No buts!" Mai said sharply. "Besides, I'm sure they haven't cleared the park of branches and garbage yet. I don't want you getting hurt."

Kazuya grumbled but didn't argue any further.

"So still no power in the east of the city, so we're it for restaurants." Hiroki commented. "Good for the till."

"Bad for soccer fans," Ginta teased his son. "Day'll go by quickly at least."

"That's the truth!" Mai said with a sigh. "I hoped to get your things washed today, but I might not have time. Kazuya has enough clean for the boys to wear, but Keiko's things are so big on you." She said to Tooru.

"That's okay!" Tooru hastened to assure her. "Mai-san doesn't have to wash our things... or maybe if I could use Mai-san's washing machine, I usually do it."

"Kitagawa said you kids should rest." Ginta said firmly. He looked at Mai, "Do the Fujiwara's have power? Why don't we send them out to be cleaned?"

"I think they have power," Kazuya confirmed. "I'm pretty sure I saw lights there last night. I can drop the stuff off when I go out that way on a delivery."

"That's what we'll do then." Mai nodded happily. "That's one less thing to worry about!"

"Oh, but-" Tooru started, looking helplessly at Kyou. He looked between her and Mai.

"Uh-" He started, wishing the Rat were awake. He was better at handling stuff like this then he was but the Rat was just staring at his ricebowl, confused now that it was empty.

"Don't even bother." Hiroki interrupted. "There's no talking Mai out of something once she's made up her mind."

"He's right." Ginta grinned. "She said we'd get married when she was eight, and it was all over for me then."

"Oh, stop." Mai dimpled. She looked at Tooru and Kyou. "Hurry up and finish your breakfasts, we've got to get ready to open soon."

Tooru moved Yuki's empty ricebowl to the side and put his fish in front of him. "Yes, thank you." She said and put his chopstick holding hand in position. He blinked and started eating the fish. She went back to her own meal, ignoring Kyou's snort of disgust.

"That's amazing." Hiroki said, piling his empty plates together. "What else can he do in his sleep?"

"What can't he?" Kyou grumbled. "Doesn't even have the decency to let down his guard." He flung a piece of rice at him.

Yuki blocked it with his chopsticks, effortlessly sending it directly into Kyou's eye.

"Augh, damn rat!" Kyou said clapping his hand over it. "Crap!"

"Careful!" Tooru said, turning to him. "Let me see."

"It's fine." Kyou said blushing hotly, rubbing his eye with a knuckle. "Kuso Nezumi."

Yuki blinked, and yawned. He looked at the empty plate in front of him in confusion. He put down chopsticks he didn't remember picking up. He looked around and started at all the people staring at him. "Um, ah..." he stammered. He blushed a nice tomato red.

"Good morning, Yuki-kun." Tooru said quickly. "We had fish and rice for breakfast."

"We did?" He looked at his plate. "We did." He looked up at Mai, "Um, thank you very much?"

Mai laughed. "You're welcome!"

Kazuya walked over and gathered up their dirty plates before they could protest. "Can you play soccer in your sleep too?"

"Um... I don't know." Yuki stood and exited the booth, followed quickly by Tooru and Kyou.

Kazuya walked towards the kitchen with a contemplative look.

"Don't you even think about it." Ginta said, giving him a light tap on the back of his head, a tray of dirty dishes balanced on his hip. The phone rang and he walked to the hostess station to pick it up. "Iwaya Restaurant." He nodded. "Yes, we're available for breakfast delivery. Two set A's. Yes, sir. Kazuya will be out with them in about 20 minutes." He hung up the phone and clapped his hands. "You heard 'em! Hiroki-"

"I'm on it." Hiroki said walking into the kitchen, "Grill's already on."

Kazuya nodded, "I'm going to put some air in my tires, call me when it's ready. See you later, Yuki." He waved and walked through the kitchen.

Mai wiped down the booth and table and put her hands on her hips, surveying the restaurant. "Good enough." She looked at the three of them, looking lost in the middle of the dining room floor. "Alright you lot upstairs. Feel free to go back to bed if you want. I'm sure you're still tired. Help yourself to anything you want of Keiko's," she said nodding at Tooru. "And I told Kazuya to leave out clothes for you two. If you want anything to eat, just tell Ginta or Hiroki and they'll make it for you."

"Mai-san is too generous," Yuki started.

"If you say one word about paying me back I'll smack you." Mai interrupted. "We all have runs of bad luck, it's our responsibility as good people to help each other out. Now get upstairs, I'm about to open the restaurant."

Looking down at his bare, but bandaged chest, and Tooru's pajamas practically falling off her shoulders, Yuki decided that discretion was the better part of valor. He turned and grabbed Tooru's hand, hauling her with him through the kitchen. Kyou followed closely behind just pausing to snatch his shirt from the booth seat before running after them.

Upstairs they regrouped in Keiko's room. Yuki and Kyou had grabbed their clothes and got dressed in a corner while Tooru rummaged through the drawers for something that wouldn't fall off her small frame too badly. It was comforting, having both of them in the room with her. It reminded her of their little home on the mountain. If someone had told her a year ago that she'd be wishing to live in a damp cold shack on a mountainside she would have thought them insane. But if there were some magic she could use to re-create it now, she'd use it in a heartbeat.

She finally settled on a sweater and a drawstring broom skirt. Both were too long on her, and the sweater dipped off one shoulder when she wasn't paying attention. But it wouldn't wrinkle and it was warm and clean, so it was good enough for her.

"So now what?" Kyou said, sitting at the desk and yawning.

"It's only a little past six," Yuki said looking at the clock. "The stores aren't even open yet."

Tooru rubbed at her eyes. "Then we can sleep a little longer?"

"For a couple of hours at least." Yuki stretched, then immediately regretted it as his back tightened up. He was looking forward to getting those painkillers.

Kyou got up and they both started heading for the door. Tooru followed them. Yuki looked back at her as she stepped outside the room with them. "Honda-san isn't going to sleep more?"

Tooru blinked and clasped her hands together. "I...no... I want to sleep." She looked down at her feet.

"Then go to bed." Kyou said, exasperated. He pointed at Keiko's room. She followed his finger to the doorway then looked back at him. She looked like she was about to cry.

"Honda-san doesn't want to sleep alone?" Yuki asked, already knowing the answer but trying to stem off her tears.

Tooru shook her head. "Like back home... I want to be with Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun."

"Home?" Yuki's brow wrinkled. They'd never slept in the same room at home.

"Like in our home, up the mountain." Tooru said firmly, emphasizing the "our". She stared at them hard. Had she been the only one to consider it home?

"It's only for a few hours." Kyou said, shifting uncomfortably. He didn't especially want to sleep alone either, but he didn't want to be the one to admit it.

Yuki looked apologetic, "Honda-san... Mai-san..." Tooru's eyes began to fill with tears. Yuki sighed. "Mai-san should be busy enough that she won't notice if we all nap together."

Her face brightened.

"C'mon." Sighed Kyou grabbing her hand. "We'll have to move the futons."

Tooru stood back in the room while Yuki and Kyou moved their futons together, overlapping them a little to give her a place to sleep. It was a little crowded with all three of them sharing two futons, but Tooru liked it. Kyou was where he should be, at her front, and Yuki was at her back. She felt the mouse playing with the ends of her hair and smiled. She wasn't sure if he even knew he did it or that she noticed, but when he was drifting off to sleep he'd tug at her hair, often sleeping with a lock trapped between his fingers. It was a simple thing, but it went a long way to relaxing the knot of tension that felt lodged in her ribcage.

She watched Kyou's shoulders bunch and relax as he settled into place. He always squirmed for a good 15 minutes before falling asleep. It was as if his body was fighting having to stay still. She closed her eyes and scrunched down under the blankets, burrowing in. She sighed and let sleep claim her.

Kyou felt her breath puff on the back of his neck and felt like he could finally settle. He dozed waiting for her to fall fully asleep before rolling over to look at her. Her coloring was finally getting back to normal. She was still too thin, and she had shadows under her eyes, but she was definitely improving. He watched face scrunch up like she was having a nightmare. Her hands kneaded at the pillow and her brow furrowed. He reached up and stroked the back of her hand with a finger. Her hand uncurled in response, turning to grasp at his fingers in her sleep. He let her capture them, happy to watch her expression smooth and clear.

He glanced up and saw the Rat watching him over her shoulder. He was too tired to get angry. He fell back to their arrangement up at the shack, and just spoke as if they were already in a conversation. "She looks better. But she's been acting weird. I think there's something wrong with her, I don't care what that stupid doctor says. Why is she so scared all the time? Why does she keep crying?"

Yuki combed through the ends of her hair, thinking before he responded. "I think she was hurt, in her heart and mind. I think while we were sleeping she must have been very scared, and it hurt her. Those kinds of wounds take a while to heal." He'd had wounds like that for a long time, ones that had festered and grown until she'd started healing them.

"What..." Kyou cleared his throat and studied her fingers so he wouldn't have to look at Yuki. "Then what about what she said... you think she just said that because she's... hurt?"

Yuki sighed, wishing he'd escaped into sleep instead of having this conversation. "I want to think she meant what she said, at least part of it. But-"

"But-" Kyou repeated bitterly. "There's no way she could love both of us the same." There was no way she loved him as much as she loved the Rat.

"I think she's confused." Yuki agreed. She was grateful to him maybe, and perhaps loved him like a brother, but she couldn't love him the way she loved the Cat. "We just have to give her time to heal," He shot a glare at Kyou, "and not pressure her to chose. She's terrified of losing people. We can't make her think she'll lose one of us."

Kyou didn't answer, looking at her hand wrapped around his fingers. He rubbed his thumb across her knuckles. "We've taken everyone from her, haven't we?"

"I couldn't even save a picture of her mother." Yuki said bitterly. He'd had it in his hands, but sometime between being hit with the branches, the wall, and falling asleep he'd lost it and they hadn't been able to find it. Tooru had been brave about it, but he knew how important it had been to her and how much it's loss hurt.

Kyou closed his eyes, his eyebrows making an angry vee. "You nearly got yourself killed trying, that's something at least. I spent the night passed out on her lap."

"You can't help your curse." Yuki ducked his head, pressing his forehead against her back. This conversation was rapidly becoming uncomfortable. Yuki was honest enough with himself that he couldn't claim to completely hate the cat anymore. They'd been through too much together. The cat always asked the tough questions Yuki shied away from, and was the first to step forward when a hard task had to be done. Yuki knew that he and Tooru never would have made in the shack without Kyou. If he left, Yuki didn't know if he'd be able to manage on his own. He'd never realized how sheltered he'd been before they'd run away.

But he still wasn't ready to say Kyou was a friend, and soothing a not-quite-enemy's feelings wasn't something he was ready for. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath of Tooru's fresh scrubbed scent.

Kyou pretended to be asleep, suffering from the same moral confusion as Yuki. He'd hated the rat for as long as he could remember, but now the thought of Yuki leaving Tooru and him gave him a tight knot of apprehension in his stomach. He still wouldn't say he liked the guy, but he'd gotten used to him being around. The rat was always thinking, always leaps and bounds away from their current situation. Kyou's brain just didn't work that way.

The two boys pretended they were asleep so well it became a reality. In their sleep they shifted dangerously close to Tooru. Yuki's arm wandered over her hip and Kyou flung an arm over her shoulder. Tooru curled around herself, her head tucked beneath Kyou's chin and Yuki's cheek against her back. They'd woven themselves into more complicated positions in their shack on cold nights, but then they'd been alone and not at risk of interruption like they were here.

"Yo! We've got a lull so if you guys wanted lunch, now would be a good-WOAH!" Kazuya froze in the doorway. "Um...ah..."

Tooru jerked awake, knocking against Kyou's chin. "Ow..." she moaned sitting up and rubbing her head. Her sweater slipped off one shoulder and revealed a creamy expanse of shoulder.

"You okay?" Kyou asked sleepily sitting up and patting her head. "What time is it?"

Yuki rolled to his back, blinking and willing himself to wake up. He glanced at the clock on Kazuya's bedside table. "Almost... " He blinked again, trying to decipher what for him were upside down numbers.

"Almost noon." Kazuya finished for him. His cheeks burned bright even against his tanned skin. "Er...um...ah...sorry for interrupting!"

Kyou gave him a quizzical look; never one to grasp what was running through other people's minds, except for Tooru. "We were just sleeping, waiting for the stores to open up."

Tooru fought back a yawn. "We overslept. Thank you, Kazuya-san, for waking us." She leaned against Kyou, forgetting that such casual intimacy wasn't the norm for most of Japan.

Yuki sat up and ran an annoyed hand through his hair. "I never thought we'd sleep so long." He looked up at Kazuya, and the position they were in dawned on him. "I know that Mai-san said it wasn't proper for us to share a room, but we've been...er...camping... for so long we've gotten used to being together."

"I was afraid to be alone." Tooru said bluntly, catching on to Kazuya's discomfort, sitting up and straightening her clothes. "Please don't think badly of Kyou-kun and Yuki-kun."

"Oh! No! No!" Kazuya said, blushing brighter. "I was just, uh, surprised."

"Anyway," Yuki said standing up and helping Tooru to her feet. "You said something about lunch?"

"Oh, yeah. Ma said if you want lunch, now would be a good time. Breakfast is over, but the real lunch rush probably won't start until one or so." Kazuya was eager to change the topic.

"Honda-san, do you know where our wallet is?" Yuki asked. "You should eat lunch and then we should get to the pharmacy and do some other shopping." He glanced at Kyou who'd taken a moment to straighten their futons before joining them.

"Ma's got your money in the safe under the till." Kazuya chimed in helpfully. "She was afraid to leave it just lying around, I mean, we do get all sorts of people in and out of the restaurant."

"Thank you." Yuki said, thinking that it was also an effective way to keep them trapped at the restaurant.

"What do you want for lunch?" Kazuya said. "We're doing a limited menu because it's so busy, but we've got a shrimp tempura bento set, with potato croquettes, and..." He listed off a pretty extensive list for a "limited menu", and each one made the three of them hungrier then they'd thought possible. The boys looked at Tooru, letting her choose for the three of them.

"Umm... Um..." She waffled, trying to remember all of the choices and try to figure out what would be the easiest to make out of them all. "The ah... hamburger and egg with onigiri sounds good." She said finally.

"Maaaa!" Kazuya yelled as they reached the kitchen. "Three lunch set Cs!"

"Coming right up!" Hiroki said peeking out from around the grill. "Mai's done a bunch of onigiri and the eggs already, if you want to get them in the tray. Hamburger will be ready in two shakes. Mai's out helping some customers. Ginta's on the phone, so you should probably get your delivery box ready too."

Kazuya washed his hands quickly and walked over to the counter, pulling out a couple of sectioned trays. "Man, my legs still hurt from yesterday." He sighed and started to put together the lunch trays.

"Oh!" Tooru said stepping forward, almost tripping over her long skirt in her haste. "I can do that! Why doesn't Kazuya-san get ready for his deliveries or rest?"

"It's no problem." Kazuya assured her, blocking the counter with his body. "This'll take me two seconds. See?" He stepped back, three trays of onigiri and hard-boiled egg sitting on the counter, waiting for the mini hamburgers.

"Two set B's, three set A's, two set B's with no veggies and extra croquettes, one set B regular and a set D." Ginta called as he backed his way into the kitchen, laden with dirty plates. "Addresses are by the phone, the A's stay here, B's and D go. Oh, you're up!" He grinned at the trio standing lost by the door. "What'll you have for lunch, our menu-"

"Already taken care of, Boss." Hiroki said coming around the corner and quickly parceling out lumps of hamburger meat smothered in sauce onto the trays. "I'll get started on those B's if you want to take the A's."

"Do some dishes while we cook." Ginta said to Kazuya as he dumped the dirty dishes in a full sink. "We're running short. I'll get your delivery box before I start the A's."

"Okay, Pop." Kazuya nodded and rolled up his sleeves.

"You kids go on and eat before it gets cold." Hiroki said, handing Tooru a tray. "Go find a booth, there are chopsticks on the hostess podium."

"But-" Tooru started. Surely, she thought, there was something she could do to help. She was good in the kitchen.

"Let's get out of their way Honda-san." Yuki said picking up a tray and gently maneuvering her towards the door into the restaurant. "We'll just be a bother with them so busy, and we have errands to run." He nodded to Ginta, Hiroki and Kazuya. "Thank you very much."

"Thanks." Kyou repeated, grabbing his tray and following them out of the kitchen.

The kitchen had only one group of patrons, but many the booths were dirty and still cluttered with the remains of the breakfast rush. Mai was clearing off some of them and smiled as they came through. She gestured towards an empty booth towards the back and after grabbing some chopsticks they hastily sat down. Mai came over with some tea, looking a bit harried but cheerful. "So what are your plans for the afternoon? You're welcome to rest upstairs, we've got a tv in the cupboard in the living room."

"Thank you very much, Mai-san." Yuki said, "But we have errands to run. I left some things with a friend here in town, and we have the prescriptions from Kitagawa-sensei to fill. Kyou needs to get some new clothes and we have a few other things to take care of."

"Then you'll be needing this." Mai nodded, pulling out their small purse of money and handing it to Tooru. "Kazuya dropped off the rest of your things at the Fujiwara's, they said they'd be ready tomorrow."

"The Fujiwara's?" Yuki repeated looking at Tooru as she nodded. He'd missed something, probably when he'd been asleep this morning. He looked at Kyou who looked away. That didn't bode well.

"Mai-san sent our things out to the cleaners." Tooru said uncertainly, sure that Yuki would object. Cleaners cost money, and while they weren't short now she knew they had to conserve what they had.

Yuki sighed. "We'll pick it up tomorrow." How much did washing cost?

"Kazuya will do it." Mai said, reading his mind. "Don't worry about the cost, we'll pay it since we decided against the wishes of these two." She nodded at Kyou and Tooru. "The Fujiwaras were in last night when you three came in and told Kazuya they'd give us a discount when he dropped off your things and explained the situation. They didn't know if it would all be salvageable."

Setting down his chopsticks carefully, Yuki tried to calm his rising panic. Just how many people knew about them in this town? Kin, Kitagawa, Mai and her family, the Fujiwara's and whoever else they, Kazuya or Mai had told. They had to get out of here.

"Mai-san has been much too kind," he said. "We don't want to impose on you any further. We'll move to the Sunset tonight and if you'd give us directions to the cleaners I'm sure we can easily manage to pay their fee. Please allow us to pay you for lunch." He reached for the wallet in Tooru's lap.

"Don't be ridiculous!" Mai said, hands on hips. "First of all, the Sunset is closed. Their roof was damaged and it will take them weeks to fix it. Second, it was my decision to get your clothes cleaned, so it's my responsibility to pay for it. Third, if you offer to pay for one more thing I'm really going to slap you." She frowned at them. "You'll stay here, we'll pay for the clothes and if you aren't back for dinner I'll... I don't what I'll do, but you won't like it."

"Believe her." Ginta said ducking out from the kitchen to serve a waiting table their "Set A" lunches. "Mai, we've got a couple customers waiting."

Mai was all smiles as she bustled over to the podium and gestured the waiting family to a clean booth. Hiroki ducked out of the kitchen with tray of his own and sat down with them. "I don't want to dirty another table. You guys don't mind right?" Hiroki said around a mouthful of food. "It's gonna get busy any minute." He glanced at Mai as she cleared off some nearby tables. "What'd you do to make her mad?"

Yuki flushed, "I offered to pay for lunch...and said we'd be moving on to a hotel."

"The Sunset's-"

"Trashed, we know." Kyou said finishing off an onigiri.

"We can't keep imposing on Mai-san, Ginta-san and Kazuya-san this way." Yuki said, hoping that maybe with Hiroki on his side he might be able to break them away from Mai's overbearing kindness.

"You'll never convince Mai of that." Hiroki said making his way through the tray of food. "Take it from me, her first stray, I know."

"I wandered into this town about, oh, fourteen-fifteen years ago now... No family, no money, no job, no schooling, no luck at all. Mai hired me on to wash dishes and pretty much forced me into the apartment above the kitchen. She bullied Ginta into teaching me to work the grill. Gave me a little pride, let me start paying my way...after she gave me a raise."

He chuckled and took a sip of tea. "You know the clothes your wearing?" He pointed to Tooru. "The girl that belongs to Mai calls her daughter, raised her, fed her and paid for one of the grandest weddings this town has ever seen. She picked her up when she was six or so, local girl got in trouble and wasn't managing to take care of Keiko-chan the way she should. Mai took both of 'em in, but the girl disappeared about a month later. As soon as she was able Mai adopted Keiko, even though she'd just had Kazuya. If she treated them any different, I certainly couldn't tell. And Keiko-chan loved Mai like she was her real mother. Not that Mai ever asked for anything, she always used to say that Keiko was all the gift she ever wanted."

"Mai-san is a very kind person." Tooru said, unable to find words to encompass such generosity.

"Ain't that the understatement of the year. Mai doesn't really talk about herself, so I don't know too much about her childhood." Hiroki said, finishing up his lunch. "But gossip never dies in a small town like this and from what I've heard she didn't have much of anyone growing up, besides Ginta. I think she doesn't want anyone to feel like she did, alone." He tossed a hard look at the three of them. "It doesn't hurt anything but your pride to accept her help. It's pretty obvious that you all are running from something, and I supposed that's your business. We won't pry into it, or put you in danger. Just give her a chance to help, that's all she wants." He looked at Tooru. "Finish your lunch, Mai's right, you need fattening up." With that he gathered his tray and cup and stumped his way back into the kitchen.

Tooru picked up her chopsticks and started eating, even through her throat was tight with choked emotions. She felt awful. Yuki and Kyou were feeling similar pangs of guilt, they'd all been feeling that Mai's kindness was more of a burden then a blessing and now they felt like garbage for it. Kyou thought for the first time in a long while about his Shishou, Kazuma and wondered what he was doing. The parallels between Mai's "daughter" and his surrogate father were almost scary. He could imagine that Mai would have been crushed if "Keiko" had disappeared on her, what had his disappearance done to Shishou? But surely he understood why Kyou had gone, didn't he? He was the one who'd insisted Kyou stay with Tooru and Yuki in the first place.

"Are you done?" Yuki interrupted Kyou's thoughts, pointing to his empty tray. "We should get going."

"I'm finished." Tooru said, her tray wasn't as picked clean as theirs but Hiroki had also given her a much larger helping.

"Okay." Kyou said and followed them into the kitchen with his trays. Ginta distractedly directed them to put them in the growing pile in the sink and gave them directions to the pharmacy and row of shops.

They were about to leave out the back door when Yuki turned and addressed him. "Ginta-san, we might be late for dinner, but tell Mai-san we will be back and to not worry."

Ginta started and then broke into a wide smile. "I'll be sure to pass it along."

:0:0:

"What was that all about?" Kyou said as soon as they were out of earshot. "We can't stay there! I know Mai is nice and all but-"

"We can't hurt Mai-san!" Tooru said looking between them. "If we said we'd go back we have to."

"We're going back tonight." Yuki nodded. "We don't have anywhere else to go. We don't even know where we're going next." He matched Kyou's glare.

"What would you suggest Baka Neko, we go sleep in a field? Just pick a direction and walk? We'll leave soon, but we have to have a plan."

Kyou sighed. "When we get caught, don't blame me, Kuso Nezumi." He looked around. "So what are we doing now?"

"Splitting up." Yuki said. "It doesn't matter now who sees us in town now, like Hiroki-san said, gossip never dies in a place like this. At this point we have to assume everyone knows we're here. I'll go to the pharmacy and get our prescriptions filled and pick up the stuff I bought. You go to one of the clothing stores on Park St and get a few outfits, get a hat to cover your hair too."

"What should I do?" Tooru asked, looking between them.

"You can..." Yuki thought for a moment. There were other things they needed, house wares that they'd lost, their bedding needed replacing, in those kind of things she had much more experience then either of them. But until they knew where they were going it was senseless to get them now. Plus he really didn't want her wandering around by herself. "...go with either of us. I have clothes for you at the pharmacy, but," he coughed. "Perhaps you'd like to help the Baka Neko pick out something that matches."

"What's that supposed to mean-" Kyou sputtered.

"If Kyou-kun doesn't mind," Tooru said looking up at Kyou, "I'd like to go try on the clothes Yuki-kun bought." She adjusted the shoulder of her sweater, so that it wasn't sliding down. "I'd like to change into something that fits."

Not about to admit that he liked how the sweater showed off her long neck and the smooth curve of her shoulder, Kyou quickly nodded. "Okay."

"You'll probably take longer then us," Yuki said. "So we'll come meet you. Keep a lookout for us."

"Okay." Kyou said, surprised to realize he was feeling nervous.

He told himself he was being stupid. Like the Rat said, he wasn't _that_ memorable. It had been a long time since he'd been alone, and it felt like it had been even longer since he'd had to talk to someone without Tooru or the Rat nearby. But it wasn't as if chitchat was required for clothes shopping. Still, when Tooru and Yuki walked down the street away from him, he had to resist the urge to run after them. Resolutely, he turned and marched towards the clothing stores.

Yuki felt Tooru fumbling for his hand as they walked towards the pharmacy and threaded his fingers through hers. He tried to squash the rumble of dread that he felt splitting them up again. He looked down at Tooru, who was looking over her shoulder, watching the cat walk away. Her face was scrunched up in worry, she was obviously feeling it too."Did I tell Honda-san? Kin-san works at the pharmacy." Yuki said to distract her.

Tooru looked up at him, "She does? It will be nice to see her again. I liked Kin-san." She hugged herself with her free arm, shivering. The sweater she'd chosen was warm, but spring in this part of Japan was cold.

Yuki squeezed her hand, "Perhaps when we're done we should shop for new coats."

"Our old ones are fine, just dirty." Tooru said shaking her head. "Coats are expensive. We should wait till it gets warmer to shop for new ones. They'll all go on sale."

"But when it's warmer, we won't need jackets."

"That's why they'll be on sale." Tooru smiled. "And then when winter comes around we'll be ready."

Yuki smiled. "Honda-san thinks ahead."

"If we're going to settle down," Tooru said, throwing him a smile for the compliment, "We should buy a budget planner. I used to keep track of ours, for Mother and I. If it's alright, I'd like to get a cute one. Last time it had a pig on it and wasn't very cute at all."

"Should we shop for that now, or when we pick a place to go to?" Yuki asked. He used a planner for the budget for the student body, he hadn't thought about applying the same thing to a household. It made a lot of sense.

"When we get...wherever we're going." She looked up at him. "Why buy something else to carry?" She looked thoughtful. "Unless we see a really cute one."

"Good thinking." He said, warmth uncurling in his blood. He tried to quash the happy, bubbly feeling that came from Tooru planning a life with him. There was no use getting excited about something that wasn't going to happen.

It wasn't until the convenience store came in view that Yuki thought to wonder if it would be open. Though his memories of that night were disjointed, it had sounded like Kin-san's boss had expected it to get damaged. The storefront was dark and there was plastic over a section of the front where a window was gone. One of the two front doors was ajar, but Yuki hesitated on the threshold unsure if the store was open.

"C'mon in, we're open the front lights are just out." Called a familiar voice from inside the store. "I know someone's out there, I can see your shadow. Come in and buy something I'm bored."

"Kin-san?" Yuki asked stepping inside, with Tooru close behind him.

"Yuki!" Kin straightened from her slouch at the counter. "You're okay! Holy crap I was worried!" She peered to the side, "And so is your girl! What about your cousin?"

"He's fine too." Tooru said, smiling. "Thank you for worrying about us."

Yuki looked around the store. The first few shelves were bare of merchandise and the floor had a fresh scrubbed look. There had been a magazine and map rack by the door, and it was missing now too. "What happened here?"

Kin waved a hand as she came around the counter to talk to them. "Two of the windows blew in and everything got soaked. We had to throw out all the magazine's in the front and a bunch of stuff that got glass and dirt on it." She gestured to the empty shelves. "And the light bulbs smashed up front. Boss doesn't want to replace them till we get an electrician to look at it though. But wow, I can't believe you made it through!" She slapped him on the shoulder.

"Augh!" Yuki went white, clutching Tooru's hand tight as he hunched in pain. She'd slapped him right on his bruise and the resulting flinch had caused his back to seize.

"Oh Jeeze!" Kin said stepping back and raising her hands. "What did I do?"

"Yuki-kun got hit by a wall." Tooru said, not noticing Kin's blanch as she took Yuki's other hand and waited for his pain to abate. "He hurt his shoulder and back. Yuki-kun, are you okay?" She asked worriedly.

"F-fine." He managed, and then repeated in a stronger voice. "Fine. It just startled me." He took a deep breath as the muscles of his back finally relaxed enough to allow it, and then regretted it as his bruised ribs protested being moved.

"Are you okay?" Kin said, meeker then Yuki had ever heard her. "I'm sorry."

"You didn't know." Yuki managed a wobbly smile. "That's actually part of the reason we're here. We have some prescriptions to fill." He dug into his pocket and handed her the slip.

"Oh, Kitagawa-sensei called these in this morning. He said I should expect someone to pick them up, maybe Iwaya Kazuya." Kin walked to the back of the store where the pharmacy was located. She opened the locked door and picked out a few bags. "Here you go." She handed them to Yuki.

"What do we owe you for them?" Yuki asked and Tooru took out her purse.

Kin cocked her head at him. "They're paid for already, Kitagawa did it over the phone. That reminds me," She reached over the counter and tore a slip of paper off the register and crumpled it up. "Don't need that anymore."

"What's that?" Tooru asked, amazed at the nature of the people in this small town.

"If they weren't picked up we were supposed to deliver them." Kin shrugged. "Pretty standard for Kitagawa-sensei. He treats a lot of the elderly in town and sometimes they can't get in to get their medicine." She reached into a cooler on the other side of the register. "Want some water to take one of those painkillers?" She asked, "My treat as an apology for hitting you."

Yuki sighed, why fight another act of charity? "Thank you," he said taking the bottle and quickly reading over the recommended dosage. He handed Tooru the bottle of supplements. "You should take one of those too." He said after swallowing his own pills. He handed her the bottle. "Doctor's orders."

Tooru sighed and fished one out of the bottle. She hated taking pills. "Yuki-kun sounds like Hatori-san." She swallowed the pill and made a face. "Yuki-kun is supposed to take one of these too." She handed him one and the bottle back. "They don't taste good."

"Remind the Baka Neko to take one when we see him." Yuki said, making a face as soon as the pill touched his tongue. They were gross. He took an extra swig of water. "Thank you Kin-san." He said again. He sighed.

It seemed as if this town had decided that the three of them were to be looked after. After months of independence on the mountain, all this kindness was grating.

"I've got your stuff in back. I put it where it wouldn't get messed up." Kin said, "Let me go get it."

"Let us help." Tooru said and grinned up at Yuki, "I can't wait to see what Yuki-kun picked out."

"If Honda-san doesn't like it," Yuki said, following Kin and Tooru into the back room, "please don't worry about hurting my feelings. We can exchange it for something you like better."

"I'm sure Yuki-kun picked out nice things." Tooru assured him.

"Kin-san helped me pick them out."

"Here's the stuff." Kin said putting her hands on her hips. "Food is over there. And the clothes are..." she yanked out a handled shopping bag, "here."

"Yay!" Tooru said clapping her hands. "Is there a bathroom? I'll go try them on."

"Right through there." Kin gestured. "We'll go out front, I gotta watch for customers."

Tooru nodded distractedly looking through the bag of clothes as they filed back out front, carrying the other shopping bags. Yuki tried not to worry if he'd done a good job as he consolidated the things he'd bought together in a couple of light bags. The apples and rice had gotten destroyed, as had some of the medicine, in his travels up the mountain. He'd brought the maps and rental listings too, and he couldn't replace those here because they'd been destroyed. He did find one map that he must've missed, but it was a map of all Japan and wouldn't be that useful except for deciding in general where to go.

When he looked over what he had left he sighed. He'd gone to a lot of effort to get a whole lot of nothing in particular. He'd bought bullion and miso to flavor rice and soup, but they had no rice. Carrots, plums and cabbage to flavor riceballs, but, again no rice any longer. Small sacks of flour, sugar and tea wouldn't do them much good on the road. None of what he bought was good "traveling" food, it'd all been meant to keep them a week or so up at the shack.

Kin let out a wolf whistle. "Lookin' good!" She grinned at Tooru as she stepped out of the back room. She was wearing the yellow dress they'd picked out with an orange sweater over it. She twirled in place.

"I like it very much, but does it fit?"

Yuki started at her. The dress was a little loose; he hadn't realized quite how much weight she'd lost. But besides that it suited her perfectly. It had a fitted bodice, and buttons in a straight line from the top of the dress to the bottom of the skirt. The shoulders weren't bare, but it was short sleeved, so he was sure she was grateful for the fuzzy orange sweater looked like it belonged with the dress. The yellow matched her bright personality and the full skirt fluttered as she twirled. She looked at him expectantly as she came to a stop.

"You still have the ribbons?" Yuk blurted, looking at her hair. She was wearing the yellow ribbons he'd bought her a lifetime ago.

Tooru smiled. "Of course, Yuki-kun gave them to me. They're one of my most precious belongings." Her hand went to them unconsciously and she stroked the end of the ribbon. "I made sure to keep them safe."

His cheeks heated, and he swallowed. "Honda-san looks very nice, I'm glad she likes the dress." He glared at Kin who was chuckling at his discomfort. "Did the rest of the things fit."

"This skirt is loose." She said pulling out a short skirt Yuki didn't remember buying. It was pink and had ruffle of lace across the bottom, but it still didn't look like it would even reach her knees. "But by the time it's warm enough to wear it, I'll probably have gained some weight. This used to be my size. Yuki-kun picked out such nice things! This blouse will go perfectly with it." She held up a lacy white button down dotted with eyelets. "I'll have to get a cami to go under it though." She blushed.

Yuki looked up at Kin. He hadn't bought that skirt or that shirt, or perhaps he had hit his head and just didn't remember it. He was pretty sure he hadn't picked that out, it was so short and so revealing.

"Isn't it the cutest?" Kin gushed. "It's actually something I bought for myself on sale a couple years ago. It doesn't suit me. I'm too tall. I thought it would look good on you."

"Oh!" Tooru said looking at the outfit. "That's much to generous! I can't accept this." She started to hand it back to Kin, much to Yuki's relief.

"But it's just going to waste in my closet!" Kin insisted.

"Kin-san should return it and buy something for herself or give it to one of her girlfriends." Tooru insisted.

"None of my friends would wear something so girly... well most of them aren't girls at all." Kin said scratching the back of her head. "Actually, I can't say as I have any girlfriends. And it's been too long to return it. Really, they've been sitting in my closet for ages. I've given up hope that I'm going to shrink. If you don't take it I'll just throw it out or donate it."

"Thank you!" Tooru smiled, "I really do think it's cute! It will be perfect for summer, don't you think so Yuki-kun?"

No, no it would be awful, Yuki thought. He'd never thought of himself as a jealous personality, and it wasn't as if it was _that_ revealing. But he decided he'd much rather her wear an overcoat, all the time, even in summer.

"Uhhh." His cheeks went red at the thought of her wearing that. If it fit like he thought it would her legs would be shown off to everyone, and that blouse looked low cut. Everyone else would be able to see much too much of her for his liking. Tooru's forehead started to wrinkle at his continued silence.

"He's speechless, he likes it so much." Kin said, punching him in the shoulder. "So where are you guys staying now?"

"With Mai-san and her family." Tooru said looking at Yuki, she hadn't caught their last name. "They own a restaurant."

"The Iwaya's?" Kin supplied. "Kazuya, Ginta and Mai...?"

Yuki nodded.

"Che," Kin clucked. "Figures. Nothing happens in this town with out Mai finding out about it. She's so nosey!"

"We're very grateful to Mai-san." Tooru said. "She's been very kind."

"If you like it or not." Kin waved a hand. "I know, I know. She wanted me to stay with them when I first moved back to town, right after Keiko got married. You'd think I committed some horrible crime wanting to live on my own." She sighed. "So what are you guys going to do next? Move into town?" She sounded hopeful.

Yuki felt validated that someone else found Mai's insistent kindness hard to bear. "No, we're...moving on." Yuki said shortly. "Soon."

Kin leaned back against the counter. "Darn. You guys would've been fun to have around." Her voice was casual, but she didn't quite meet they're eyes.

"We're supposed to catch up with my cousin," Yuki said, feeling guilty without knowing why. "We should get going. Thank you for letting me stay with you the other night, and for watching after our things."

"No problem." Kin said, tugging on her ponytail. "I don't have company often, so it was fun."

"And thank you for the outfit." Tooru said, and then added. "It would have been nice to be able to spend more time with Kin-san. Kin-san already feels like a good friend."

Kin looked pleased and sad, "Same here." She coughed into her hand. "Try and say goodbye before you leave town, k?"

"We'll try." Yuki said, gathering up their shopping bags. If they left like they'd planned, there would be no goodbyes to anyone. He didn't meet her eyes. "Let's go Honda-san."

"Okay," she said and followed him out of the store. She paused on the threshold. "Goodbye, Kin-san."

:0:0:

_AN: This chapter seems kind of anti-climatic compared to the last one... I hope people like it anyway. At the end of A Mystery I said that Spotted! would be updated after this. But when I looked, it's actually Full Course that should be up next. So look for a chapter of that next! - Merrow_


	21. Cloudless Day

_A.N: Did you know that November is National Novel Writing Month? Right now, aspiring writers are taking up the challenge to try to write a novel before the end of November. Instead of participating in that, I decided that I'd rather try to update all my current stories this month. So far I've updated Spotted! and now Discoveries. Next up is Full Course. If I can, I'd even like to update them all twice. Wish me luck! I dunno about the end of this chapter, I kind of just wrote till I stopped. Overall I'm happy about it, but I'm mostly looking forward to the next chapter. - Merrow_

::0::0::

Kyou sat on the curb and fumed. He couldn't believe he'd been so stupid. Tooru had all the money. How was he supposed to buy clothes with no money? He flexed his shoulders. Kazuya was a little smaller than him and his shirts all pulled uncomfortably in the shoulders on his broader frame. At least he'd realized it before he got to the counter. He didn't know where the convenience store Yuki and Tooru had gone to was so he couldn't even go get money.

He hated waiting.

Standing up he stalked down the street to another store. He'd just pick out what he was going to get and then buy it when they got here. He tried to think of what he had left. He was better off clothes-wise then the rest, because his clothes were more durable. He should be able just get away with a new pair of pants and maybe one or two shirts. He looked around the store as he entered, and knew immediately he was in the wrong store.

The clothes here were trendy, with nonsensical slogans in English and rhinestones decorating everything. He glanced around quickly, just to make sure there wasn't something he'd want to at least try on. A twinkle of red caught his eye, and he stopped at a display case of jewelry.

::0::0::

Yuki spotted Kyou first, exiting out of a store and paying no attention to where he was going. "Baka Neko!"

Tooru turned from the store window she'd been peering in to smile at Kyou has he approached them. "Kyou-kun!"

Setting down his bags Yuki stated at Kyou. The cat's hands were empty. "You haven't bought anything yet?"

"How can I without money?" Kyou asked sarcastically. "Damn Rat."

"Oh!" Tooru reached into her pocket and handed the purse to him. "That's right, I had it! I'm sorry Kyou-kun!"

"It's okay." Kyou said, having gotten past his frustration. "I picked out what I'm going to get though, from over there." He pointed to a store across the street. "I left 'em on the table in back if you want to go look." He coughed into his fist. "I saw something I want to show the Rat, we'll be over in a minute."

"Alright." Tooru said and turned to cross the street. She was a little nervous going off by herself, but she knew she was making both boys uncomfortable with her clingy-ness. She'd resolved to be braver and this was her chance.

"Your new outfit looks good." Kyou said grudgingly, just before she was out of earshot.

Tooru turned, smile breaking out across her face and waved, not stopping, "Thank you!" If she stopped she'd run back to them.

"What did you want to show me?" Yuki asked, not liking that she was off by herself. He told himself sternly that he couldn't be with her every moment of the day.

Kyou looked uncomfortable, he grabbed up the shopping bags Yuki had put down. "This way." He ushered the Rat into the trendy store and right over to the jewelry case. "That. I know we don't have a lot of money... but..."

Yuki looked down at the silver and red rhinestone creation. "What about it?"

"This is what I was thinking.."

::0::0::

Tooru was impressed by Kyou's choices. He'd picked out pair of plain earth tone trousers, and two shirts. One was a black collarless shirt with a white stripe going across the shoulders and the other a deep green button down. They were all made of good fabrics that would wash well, and the shirts were on sale! Knowing his dislike to have anything around his neck, she couldn't imagine him wearing the green shirt buttoned up. She looked around for a cheap t-shirt to wear under it.

She found a white sleeveless tee, they were sometimes called "wifebeaters" but she hated that name. It wasn't much at all so she added it to his pile. A customer glanced at her from the other side of the clothing rack and she started. She gathered up Kyou's clothes and scooted behind another rack, her heart thudding. She told herself she was being stupid, foolish, and idiotic. She tried to picture Kyou telling her to stop being so stupid and Yuki reassuring her there was nothing to be scared of. Why was she acting this way? She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

Of the three of them, she was the least likely to be recognized. She didn't have to be afraid. No one wanted to hurt her. There was no reason for her to be scared. She breathed in and out, in and out.

"What are you doing?" Kyou asked, looking at her with amusement over a clothing rack. Yuki looked over his shoulder curiously.

"Breathing." She said and the boys exchanged glances. "I picked out another shirt for Kyou-kun, to go with the one he chose."

They took their time in the clothing store, comfortable now that they were all together. Tooru helped Kyou pick out a few outfits and talked Yuki into getting at least one more too.

Tooru watched Yuki adjust a collar of a shirt he was trying on, and Kyou stretching his arms in a hoodie to see if it fit. Something was off about the way they were acting and she tried to put her finger on it. They were both a little quiet... but not unusually so. They exchanged glances, and she tensed expecting an argument.

None came. She looked back and forth between them. Yuki had turned and was examining his shirtsleeves with too much concentration while Kyou played with the zipper of the hoodie and looked the other way. Tooru bit her lip, why weren't they fighting? Their bickering was one of those few constants she thought she could count on.

"Does Honda-san think we need anything else?" Yuki asked, having gotten back into his borrowed clothes.

Tooru shook her head. "No, I don't think so... maybe food for our trip, but we should wait until we know where we're going first."

"Maybe we can trade at the restaurant." Kyou suggested, coming up behind her. "It's not like we really need to carry the stuff we got with us, maybe they'll trade us for travel food."

"What is travel food?" Yuki asked as they walked up to the register to pay for their things.

"I dunno," Kyou said looking out the window, "Food you can eat while traveling, sandwiches and apples and stuff."

Tooru looked back and forth between them, this was getting really odd.

"Is something wrong Honda-san?" Yuki asked, taking the packages from the salesman, and guiding her out with a hand to the small of her back.

"No?" Tooru said uncertainly.

"Is that a question or an answer?" Kyou asked, mussing her hair. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing really." Tooru said smiling at them, trying to dismiss her unease as silly. They exchanged glances over her head and she tensed again. "Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun are acting strange," she blurted.

"We are?" Yuki said and glanced at Kyou. The other boy shrugged.

"How are we acting strange?" Kyou asked, his hand still tangled in her hair.

Tooru bit her lip but finally stuttered out, "Y-you're getting along."

"We are?" Yuki glanced at Kyou with an amused look.

"Isn't that what you're always trying to get us to do?" Kyou said.

Tooru shifted her hands on the handles of her shopping bag, looking back and forth between them. "Is Kyou-kun teasing me?"

"Maybe a little." He said tugging at her hair as they walked. "Where are we going next?"

"I think we should get some train and bus schedules." Yuki said rolling his shoulder a little. It was starting to hurt again. He'd have to check how often he could take his pain medicine, and how many they'd been given. It might be better to live with a little discomfort to make them last longer.

"Should Yuki-kun be carrying things...?" Tooru asked. "Does it hurt?" She shifted the packages she was carrying to one hand and lightly ran her fingers up his spine.

"Ahhh." Yuki stopped, arching away and his face flushing bright red at the sudden contact. His back seized in a spasm from the unexpected movement and he winced, losing his grip on the packages he was carrying.

"I'm sorry!" Tooru gasped. "Did I hurt Yuki-kun?"

"No," Yuki wheezed, horribly embarrassed at his body's betrayal. "I'm fine."

"Yeah, right, Rat. And she's got a point." Kyou said uncomfortably. Both Tooru touching Yuki in such an intimate way and the rat's pained reaction bothered him. "You shouldn't be carrying stuff. Give me that junk."

"I can take some too!" Tooru said, distress and guilt plain on her face.

"I'm fine." Yuki said trying to stop them from divvying up the shopping bags. "I can carry them."

"You can, but you shouldn't." Kyou said, putting some of the bags he'd been carrying inside Yuki's before picking them up again. "You know how back injuries are. You've given me enough of them."

"I have not!" Yuki said, "And if I have, it's only because your guard is so pitiful."

"No!" Kyou said stepping forward, "It's because you're a damn dirty rat who plays dirty!" He cursed himself, hearing those words out loud made him feel so juvenile.

"How is it dirty to defend myself from a stupid cat who likes to attack me out of nowhere?!"

Tooru smiled, this was much more familiar. "Which way is the bus station?" She asked.

"That way." Kyou jerked his chin down the street. "The trains and the buses leave from the same depo here. Shishou and I would take the train up here in winter, it was easier then driving."

"That's convenient. I'm surprised you didn't hike up here for training before you finding bears to fight." Yuki said, walking a pace behind them. He didn't know what to do with his hands now that they were empty. He stuffed them awkwardly in his pockets.

"I didn't fight with bears!" Kyou shot over his shoulder and Tooru giggled.

They returned later to the restaurant, tired but feeling accomplished. They had everything they needed to pick up and leave. They'd even talked about what kind of places they'd like to go. They'd decided against going anywhere too coastal, since the storms there tended to be worse which would be bad for Kyou. They decided not to go too north or too south, not wanting to deal with the harsh winters of the north or the longer summers of the south. They decided to avoid any more small towns; it was easier to be anonymous in a city. Everything was leading them to central Japan. Yuki was a little nervous since it seemed they'd be closer to home then they'd initially planned.

Yuki jogged ahead of Kyou and Tooru to open the kitchen entrance door but it opened before he reached it. Kazuya stepped out, struggling with two delivery boxes. His hair stuck out at odd angles, his cheeks were ruddy, and he had bandanna tied around his head to keep sweat out of his eyes.

Kazuya gave a tired grin as Yuki held the door for him. "Hey guys! Welcome back."

"Going out on a delivery?" Yuki asked politely. His back and ribs were really starting to hurt now. He'd waited past when he could take his next pill by several hours. It had seemed a good idea to try to stretch his medicine when he'd only been in a little pain, but now he was regretting it.

Kazuya gave a blustery sigh as he walked over to his bike and attached the delivery boxes "Yeah, only like, the five hundredth one I've been on today. Dinner rush has started early so it's busy inside too. Oh, but I got your laundry dropped off."

"Mai-san told us at lunch, but thank you Kazuya-san, very much." Tooru said. "We appreciate it." When everything was clean she could go through what was there and see if anything needed mending. She'd picked up a packet of thread for just that reason. "It must've been a bother on such a busy day."

Kazuya grinned and settled himself on his bike. "Not really. But I gotta get going now, or the food'll get cold. I'll talk to you guys later."

"Goodbye!" Tooru waved.

"In or out, kids! Leaving the door open lets in bugs." Hiroki called from inside the kitchen. Tooru quickly followed Yuki and Kyou inside, closing the door behind them.

"It looks like you all were busy." Mai said bustling into the kitchen with a load of dirty plates. "Go put your things away upstairs and come on down for dinner." She put the dishes into the sink and picked up a waiting tray of food.

Ginta gave them a friendly nod to them as they passed, half a dozen half prepared dinners in by him on the grill. His spatulas flashed as they scooped food on to waiting plates.

Yuki, Kyou and Tooru carried their things upstairs, feeling guilty at the industry around them. Tooru took their clothes out of the bags, refolding them quickly and so they wouldn't wrinkle and stacking them on the bed. She turned back to Yuki and Kyou and found them conferring quietly.

"No, not now... later may-" Yuki said shaking his head, he looked up at saw Tooru watching them. "Are you ready to go back downstairs Honda-san?" His face was a pleasant but careful blank.

Kyou was holding himself oddly, kind of bouncing on his feet. His expression was halfway between annoyance and something she couldn't identify. "What?" he said, blushing.

Tooru looked back and forth between them. There was definitely something going on between them, something that excluded her. "Um...Yes I'm ready, are Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun ready?" She rubbed her hands over her arms, feeling confused and unsettled.

"Yeah, let's go eat." Kyou said walking past her. He looked over Tooru's head at Yuki. "Should we offer to pay again? It feels weird to keep just taking stuff."

"I think Mai-san gets offended when we try." Yuki answered, gently prodding Tooru forward.

Tooru watched them chat, as they walked down the stairs feeling more and more odd and out of place. She tried catching Yuki or Kyou's eye and waited to be included in the conversation. But it floated around her with no gaps to allow her to enter.

"You kids hungry?" Hiroki said coming around the grill to set plates of ingredients within easy reach of Ginta's waiting spatulas. "Go on out and find an open booth. Grab some menus from the podium; we're just serving the dinner combos tonight. Let Mai know what you want and we'll get you all set up."

"Oh," Tooru blurted, "but everyone is so busy... maybe I could just make us something simple and we could eat upstairs?" She looked at Yuki and Kyou. They both looked surprised that she had spoken and she felt shaken.

"Nonsense." Ginta said, keeping focused on the grill.

"Honda-san," Yuki said, "We're being a bother getting in the way here. Let's go out into the restaurant." He nodded to Ginta and Hiroki and hustled her out of the kitchen with Kyou just a step behind. They nearly ran into Mai who was on her way back in with a fistful of order sheets.

"You're back!" She smiled brilliantly, happy despite her obvious exhaustion. "You must be hungry. There's a booth in back. Settle yourselves in, and I'll be over in a minute to take your order."

Kyou grabbed Tooru's hand and pulled her forward before she could protest again, finding the semi-circle booth and dragging her in. Yuki paused just to grab some menus, wincing when the slight bend caused more pain then he expected and ignoring the stares of the other patrons. Rumors had definitely run quickly through the town. The restaurant was packed with guests; most looked worse for wear. The town still had a lot of recovery to do from the storm, which had hit hardest in the residential areas. Yuki was amazed they still had the energy to peer and gossip about them.

Yuki grimaced as he slid into the booth. The whole angle was hard for him to manage, and even when he was finally down his back and ribs throbbed with pain.

"Yuki-kun has gone white!" Tooru exclaimed.

Kyou glowered at Yuki, not liking how worried he was making her. "Did you take your pain medicine?"

"No." Yuki said shooting him a dark look. Now Tooru looked terrified. "Not yet, it says to take it with food." He looked at Tooru and patted her hand reassuringly. "I'll take some just after I eat. It made me feel lightheaded when I took it earlier; I want to try not to do that again. Here," he said handing them menus and trying to hide how much the reaching motion hurt, "Menus."

Tooru peeped at him over her menu, her forehead wrinkled in worry. "Yuki-kun is okay?"

"It hurts a little." He admitted. A lot actually, he was two, almost three, hours past when he was supposed to take another dosage and the pain was nearly back full force. Her expression collapsed into worry. "I'm fine Honda-san, once I've eaten something I'll take my medicine." The pain was making him feel a little queasy at the thought of food, but he focused on the menu anyway. "What is Honda-san going to get?" He asked her, wanting to get those big concerned eyes to stop studying him so close.

Properly distracted she looked down at her menu. Yuki shot Kyou a death glare over her head for worrying her. Kyou glowered back; obviously just as mad that Yuki was so obviously in pain in front of her.

"I think I'm going to have the set A." Tooru said. "That one looks easy to make, so it shouldn't be too hard for Hiroki-san and Ginta-san. What about Yuki-kun?" Tooru looked up and then back and forth at Yuki and Kyou. They were staring at each other with fierce concentration. She didn't think they'd even heard her.

"Set A's mostly rice." Mai said, having come up just as Tooru was speaking. "Have the set D, the Oyakadon and Salad." She wrote it down without waiting for the response. Tooru was too tired and hungry to disagree, and her stomach growled loudly at the thought of a big comforting bowl of chicken, egg and rice. She flushed and Mai grinned at her. "Plus," the older woman smiled. "I know we've got it almost ready to serve." She looked at Kyou, "What will you have?"

"The same." Kyou said, his mouth watering. He couldn't even remember the last time he'd had Oyakadon. His stomach clenched, he couldn't believe he could be this hungry on a day where he'd had both breakfast and lunch. They'd been surviving on rice, broth and veggies for so long up at the shack he would have thought that just the large breakfast and lunch would have been enough. But it was like his body was rebelling at the thought of ever going hungry again.

"And you- Are you alright?" Mai asked. Yuki was looking positively green, and a light sheen of sweat made his forehead glisten.

"I'm fine." Yuki said. He could picture the Oyakadon in his mind, big chunks of chicken, smothered in egg with onions and daishi. His stomach growled but at the same time he thought if he saw it he might be ill. "But, could I just have the salad... I'm not very hungry."

"Yuki-kun should eat more then salad." Tooru said worriedly. Whenever Yuki was ill his appetite was the first thing to go.

"Your medicine will make you feel sick if you don't have something more then that in your stomach." Kyou said flatly, speaking from experience.

"I really don't want anything else." Yuki winced as shifted and his bruised ribs reminded him how much everything hurt. This is why he hated pain medicine. He'd been dealing with the pain fine before, but now that it had been gone for hours he wasn't used to it anymore.

"Yuki-kun..." Tooru said, reaching for his hand.

"Fine!" He said shortly, jerking his hand back. He wanted nothing more then to curl up somewhere and sleep. If she touched him he didn't think he'd be able to keep sitting upright. He'd collapse right on her, simpering like a child for comfort. "I'll take the Okayadon. And some water please." He averted his face from Tooru and Mai. He hated pity and knew he'd see it there. "Thank you." He said after a moment.

"I'll be back with your food in just a moment." Mai said, sounding uncertain.

Tooru blinked back surprised tears. Yuki was never so short with her. He must really be in pain, she told herself. "Kyou-kun, I need to go to the kitchen for a moment." Tooru whispered to the boy on her other side. Yuki didn't even look up as Kyou slid out and she escaped, ducking around tables full of guests that turned to watch her pass. She pushed open the kitchen door.

"I think that boy is hurt more then he's letting on." Mai was saying to Ginta and Hiroki. "Do you think we ought to call Kit-"

"Is there something we can help you with, dear?" Ginta interrupted, spotting her in the doorway.

"Um... it's just... when Yuki-kun isn't feeling well, sometimes peaches..." She said awkwardly. "That is, Yuki-kun likes peaches very much and even when he's ill or not feeling well he will still eat them. So I was wondering..."

"If we had any?" Ginta looked at Hiroki.

"Yeah, 'course. Hold on a sec." Hiroki pulled two fat peaches out of a large cooled pantry at the back of the kitchen.

"I'll get those Set D's ready." Ginta said as his assistant scrubbed and cut up the peaches.

"I'm sorry if Yuki-kun was rude." Tooru said to Mai. "Yuki-kun doesn't like it when he feels weak, he gets embarrassed."

"Most young men do." Mai said gently.

Hiroki walked over with a bowl of sliced peaches and a fork. "D'you think he'd want little cream?"

"No, thank you." Tooru said, brightening at the sight of the peaches. She felt horribly guilty that Yuki was in so much pain. If he hadn't gone after her mother's picture he wouldn't be in this trouble now. Getting him some peaches was the least of what she could do. "Thank you very much!" She smiled ran out of the kitchen.

Yuki had his eyes closed and leaned back against the booth back, trying to adjust to the waves of pain radiating from his back and torso. His shoulder felt like someone had stabbed it with a hot poker.

"Damn Rat," Kyou muttered. "Why didn't you take your medicine before?"

"Because I only have so many pills." Yuki said through a clenched jaw. "I wanted to make them last."

"Stupid." Kyou fiddled with the table settings. "You're freaking her out, you know." Kyou was more then a bit freaked out himself. He'd never seen the Rat this vulnerable before.

"I didn't think it would hurt this much." Yuki admitted. "It didn't hurt this much last night."

"Yuki-kun!" Tooru said coming up to the table. "They had some peaches...maybe you could try them." She set them in front of him with an anxious smile. "I know Yuki-kun isn't feeling very hungry, but these are his favorite, so I thought they might make you feel better."

Yuki blinked at her and then at the peaches. "Thank you, Honda-san." He said finally. He picked up the fork. The thought of any food was nausea inducing, but peaches seemed more appetizing then salad or heavy chicken and rice. He was touched that she thought of it, and embarrassed that he was so obviously in need of comfort and care.

Tooru watched him take a shaky bite and smiled brilliantly.

"Don't just stand there watching him eat." Kyou said, feeling irritated with the way she was fawning over the injured Rat. He felt mad for feeling that way, but it bothered him to see her paying so much attention to Yuki right in front of him. "Mai's coming, sit down so you can eat too."

Mai nodded approvingly at Yuki as she set the tray she was carrying on the edge of the table. "That's a good boy. Here's some water to take your medicine with." She set down a pitcher of water on the table. "Here are your dinners." She set down their bowls of chicken and small plates of salad with ginger dressing. "Now, if you all want more, you just let me know. After dinner go on upstairs and rest, we probably won't be up until late... things are still busy around here!"

"Thank you Mai-san." Tooru said bowing her head a little. "We appreciate it very much."

"It's no problem." Mai said, smiling. "I enjoy having more bodies around the house."

"Mai!" Someone waved from a nearby table.

"I've got to get back to work." Mai waved to them, "Enjoy your dinners."

"Does Yuki-kun have his pills?" Tooru poured Yuki a glass of water and set it in front of him.

He'd eaten about half a peach so far, carefully chewing and swallowing each bite. Yuki closed his eyes and slumped back against the booth. The pills were upstairs in one of the bags.

"I'll get them." Kyou said shortly. He glared at Tooru. "You eat!"

"I can get them." Yuki said and tried to rise.

Kyou smacked him on the shoulder, making him yelp loud enough to draw the entire restaurant's attention. "I said I'd get them! Stop being a freakin' hero!" He jabbed a finger at Tooru. "And you EAT!"

"Vitamins." Yuki managed as Kyou was almost past the booth. The family in the neighboring booth watched them like they were prime time TV. "There are vitamins in the same bag, we're supposed to take them twice a day. All of us."

Kyou snorted. "I'll get them too."

"Is Kyou-kun mad?" Tooru asked as she obediently took a bite of salad. He'd been in such a good mood today.

"He's a stupid cat." Yuki said shortly, his shoulder felt like he'd been slapped by a cement fist, not a flesh and blood hand he'd avoided a thousand times. "Who knows what goes on in that brain?"

"I think maybe he's upset that Yuki-kun is hurt." Tooru said. She looked away from him. "It is scary."

"I think you're giving him too much credit, Honda-san." Yuki said, supremely uncomfortable with this conversation. "I don't think much goes on in his head at all."

"That's not very nice." Tooru chided gently. "Kyou-kun is very smart and caring."

Yuki frowned, fiddling with the fork. He knew he was pouting and acting juvenile, but his whole body hurt. Was it too much to ask to have her just pay attention to him and to forget the baka neko for a while? Why was he supposed to care why the cat got so cranky and violent?

Kyou ducked quickly up the stairs nodding to Hiroki and Ginta. Kazuya had come back and was working over the sink, busy enough that he didn't even look up. He pawed through the bags until he found one that rattled like beads. He peeked inside and made a face. He hated taking medicine. He looked at the pill bottle that held Yuki's pain medicine, it recommended eating with food, and that it be taken every four hours. The rat's last dose must've been completely worn off by now.

He walked down the stairs a bit slower, feeling guilty now for smacking him so hard on his injured shoulder. The Rat must've been really out of it, because he hadn't blocked the strike at all. Kyou waved the bottles at the men in the kitchen on his way back out and tried to tell himself that the Rat deserved it for all the times he'd sent him flying over the years.

He slapped the bottles down on the table in front of Yuki and slid in to the booth's other side. Tooru reached for them and opened the pain medication first. She handed Yuki the dosage and he swallowed it down. She made a face as she sorted out vitamins for all of them.

"These taste very bad." Tooru told Kyou in a whisper, handing him his vitamins.

She looked so serious he couldn't help but smirk a little bit.

"They really do." Tooru said, mistaking his expression. She made a face at them and put them in her mouth. She took a quick swig of water and then started coughing as she choked.

"Are you okay?" Yuki asked, distracted from his pain for a minute.

"Y-yes." Tooru said after taking another quick sip of water. "They just went down the wrong pipe."

"You're such a little kid." Kyou said. "Can't even take a little pill." He took one of the vitamins and threw it in his mouth. His face twisted up and he spat it out in his hand. "Ugh! That's disgusting!"

"Now who's the kid?" Yuki gave a weak laugh. The pain medicine hadn't really kicked in yet, but just knowing the relief was coming helped.

"I didn't think it would be that gross!" Kyou looked at the pill accusingly before tossing it in his mouth and swallowing a big gulp of water. He took a big bite of his chicken to get the taste out of his mouth. "That's nasty."

Tooru relaxed and ate her meal, feeling comfortable sitting between them. She knew that people in the restaurant were still sneaking peeks at them, especially as the dinner rush progressed, but shielded by Yuki and Kyou it didn't bother her. Mai's Oyakadon was good, filling and comforting. Though, she thought, she would have added a little less onion and a little more daishi. When the bowl had been put in front of her, she hadn't been certain she could finish it. Now she scrabbled at the bottom of the bowl with her chopsticks for the last speck of rice.

She sat back and took a deep breath. She got the feeling she had probably just wolfed down her food. She discreetly wiped her mouth with a napkin and glanced around to see if anyone had noticed. Kyou was still attacking his own dinner, having moved on from the chicken to the ginger dressing salad. He was eating with a single mindedness that gave the impression he might attack if someone tried to move his plate. He was all sharp edges. Like her and Yuki, the mountain had shaved off all the softness to his features. It hurt to see him like this.

Distracting herself by pouring a glass of water, Tooru shifted her attention to Yuki. His coloring had bounced back; he was no longer greenish white. His movements weren't as stiff and fragile looking. He'd eaten his meal backwards, eating his peaches and then salad before moving to the Oyakadon, so he had his appetite back as well.

He noticed her watching and smiled, resting his chopsticks. "I saved Honda-san a slice of peach if she'd like it." He said, holding out the bowl to her. "Thank you very much for thinking to ask for these, I enjoyed them very much."

Tooru took the bowl as the peace offering it was, his apology for being short with her earlier. "Oh, but I don't have a fork." She'd feel silly eating it with her chopsticks and it was too sticky to eat with her fingers. "May I use Yuki-kun's?"

Yuki felt his cheeks heat. He felt incredibly immature, but the thought of her lips being where his had been... "Here." He said and handed her the fork. He knew he was going even brighter red as he watched her spear the fruit with the fork and take a bite. He looked away, embarrassed that his mind could turn something so simple into something so...adult.

"Now Yuki-kun is red." Tooru said, finishing up the peach slice. She licked her lips to get the last of the sticky juice off of them before moving closer to check his temperature. "Does it hurt very much?" She reached for his forehead but when he started to recoil, put her hand on his forearm instead.

Yuki watched her tongue dart out over her lips and, at least for an instant, was completely distracted from the pain in his back and shoulder. "Uhhhh..." He said intelligently. There were moments in every young man's life when the base nature of being a man just took over without warning, flooding the body with inappropriate thoughts and images. This was one of them.

Kyou snorted, watching Yuki's color deepen to a bright purple and able to imagine what the rat was thinking. "Maybe he needs a massage."

Yuki's eyes widened, remembering that morning up in the shack.

"I used to give my mother shoulder massages." Tooru nodded earnestly. "If it would help Yuki-kun I could give it a try."

"No." Yuki managed to get out, "I'm fine, I'm fine."

"Everyone seems to be feeling better!" Mai said as she walked past with a full tray of food. She served a nearby table, and then came back to their booth. "Does anyone want seconds? Dessert maybe?"

The three exchanged glances, but Tooru spoke for all of them. "No, thank you, Mai-san. We've had plenty." She was feeling uncomfortably full now that her stomach had time to settle.

"You all just leave your plates and go on upstairs and rest then." Mai smiled. She was about to say more when two patrons called her name. She sighed. "Just a moment!" she answered and shook her head. "Usually things have died down a bit by now..."

"We can carry our own plates in." Tooru said, starting to gather them up. She didn't give Mai a chance to protest. "We're going into the kitchen anyway so it's not a bother."

"That's sweet of you." Mai said distractedly. "Coming! Please just wait a moment," she called to a family that had just stepped through the door. "But don't be afraid to speak up if you need something."

"You coming, Nezumi?" Kyou asked, gathering up his plates. Yuki was the only one who hadn't moved.

Yuki shifted in his seat. The pain had largely faded, but he wasn't sure if he wanted to move yet. The twisting he'd have to do get out of the booth would hurt.

"Yuki-kun hasn't finished his dinner." Tooru said looking in his bowl.

He was full, but he seized on the excuse. If nothing else, he didn't want Tooru to be in the room when he had to embarrassingly inch his way out of his seat. "I'll finish up and meet Honda-san upstairs." Just shifting back and forth in his seat sent flares of pain lancing across his back. He was starting to worry that he'd done something to make his injuries worse, it hadn't hurt this much last night, even before he'd taken his medicine.

"Does Yuki-kun want me to wait with him?" Tooru asked.

"No, thank you, Honda-san." Yuki smiled, not wanting her to worry. When she hesitated he looked at the table, "But would you mind taking in my peach bowl and salad plate? I don't know if I'll be able to manage everything when I'm done."

Eager to help, she smiled and added them to her pile. "Yuki-kun should take his time."

Above her head Kyou caught Yuki's eye and patted his pants pocket. "Now?" He mouthed.

Yuki gave a small shake of his head. Tooru turned to look at Kyou and the cat scowled.

"What!?" He picked up his plates, scooped up the medicine bottles, and stomped towards the kitchen. "Are you coming?"

"Ah, yes!" Tooru jogged after him, confusion clear.

Kyou pushed his way into the kitchen and looked around.

"Finished?" Ginta said moving around the grill and only sparing them a glance. "Go ahead and put your dishes in the sink."

Kazuya looked up, sweaty and up to his elbows in suds and dirty dishes. "Over here." He said tiredly.

"Next order's ready to go!" Hiroki said, sliding two covered bowls into the delivery box.

Kazuya wiped his forehead with a sudsy wrist. "Coming."

Kyou and Tooru slid their dishes into the sink and tried to stay out of their way.

Mai poked her head into the kitchen. "Do we have more onigiri yet? The Yawara's are still waiting on theirs."

Hiroki swore. "No, sorry, I was prepping vegetables. I'll get started on them now."

Ginta looked up. "I'm going to need onion, radish and more cabbage in a few minutes."

"I've only got two hands." Hiroki said blandly, but hurried to the counter and laid out the vegetables. "I'll get to them in a minute."

"I can make the onigiri." Tooru offered. Mai, Ginta and Hiroki turned to look at her, they'd obviously forgotten she and Kyou were still in the kitchen.

"You ought to be resting." Mai said shaking her head.

"But Mai-san, Ginta-san and Hiroki-san need help." Tooru said insistantly, "Everyone has done so much for us." Kyou sighed. She had her determined face on, and he wasn't like Yuki, he couldn't think of just what to say to make her agree to go upstairs. Besides it made sense for them to repay the Iwaya's somehow for all the charity they'd given them.

"She's good at cooking." Kyou said. Tooru gave him a bright smile. "She made all the onigiri for our class cafe last year, and we won first place."

"Please." Tooru asked pleadingly, "It doesn't feel right not to help when it's something I can do."

"Let me see you make some." Ginta said and gestured to the rice cooker. "Make one with nori, white rice and plum, a sesame one and one wrapped in lettuce." He kept watching her out of the corner of his eye as he continued cooking on the grill.

Tooru washed her hands quickly and started to reach for the rice.

"Gloves." Ginta gestured to a box of plastic gloves. "You have to use gloves in a restaurant."

"Oh, yes, sorry." Tooru quickly slipped a pair on and let Hiroki lead her over to where the ingredients were laid out. He stepped back and started cutting up the vegetables that Ginta needed, but all eyes were trained on Tooru. Ignoring their stares she quickly formed the familiar triangle shape of the onigiri and in no time had a set of perfectly  
formed riceballs waiting for inspection.

Ginta looked them over closely. "Looks good." He nodded. "Tie back your hair, make about twenty of each type." It was the cue for everyone to start breathing again. Hiroki brought Ginta over his vegetables and started cooking the next order. Mai went out front to tell the Yawaras their onigiri would be just a moment longer in the making.

Tooru took off her gloves and quickly tied her hair back in two long ponytails. She felt something settle on her head and peered up at Hiroki. "Welcome to the crew!" He patted the round beanie he'd put on her head and it slipped over her eyes. She pushed it up with the heel of her hand and grinned happily before putting on a fresh set of gloves and going back to work.

Kyou watched her start on the onigiri with mixed feelings. He wanted her to rest, she still looked haggard and wan. But right now she was shining and happy and looking more comfortable then she had since they'd gotten into town. There was no trace of fear, no hint of uncertainty, and she was smiling He shuffled his feet wondering what he should do now, wait for the Rat to finish his dinner or go hang out upstairs by himself? Wait here and watch Tooru work and do nothing?

"Hiroki-san?" Tooru said, looking up from a line of onigiri she'd prepared.

"What do you need?" Hiroki paused his knife.

"Um," Tooru looked around her. "Plate?"

"Oh, yeah, we need a platter for those." He looked around at a shelf behind him and frowned.

The back door opened and Kazuya walked into the kitchen. He dropped the delivery boxes on the counter and collapsed on the stairs to the upstairs. Hiroki reached into the fridge and tossed him a bottle of water.

"Don't get too comfortable," Ginta said, not without sympathy. "We've had three calls since you've been gone."

"Aaaaah." Kazuya groaned. "Is this night ever going to end?"

"It's only seven." Hiroki chuckled, "We haven't even hit the peak of dinner rush." He slid a plate of chopped chicken in reach of Ginta. "Hey, do we have any serving platters clean?"

"No... I was just getting to them before I left." Kazuya levered himself up and started rolling up his sleeves. "Just a minute and I'll wash a couple."

"I'll do it." Kyou said, pushing himself off of the wall by the stairs. Everyone looked at him. "What?" He said sullenly. "I can wash dishes."

"Thank you Kyou-kun." Tooru smiled. "I need a platter this size." She made a miming motion with her hands.

"They're stacked by size." Kazuya said slumping back to his seat gratefully. "Thanks, I owe you."

Tooru started humming as Kyou dug his hands into the plates and started scrubbing. He glanced over at her and caught her looking over at him. She smiled and he flushed and turned back to his plates. Maybe it wasn't much, but scrubbing plates made him feel useful, and it made her smile at him so he supposed that was something. He wondered what was taking the kuso nezumi so long.

Yuki sighed and felt some of the tension run out of his body. He had to be strong in front of Tooru if he didn't want her to fret. He twisted slightly side to side, trying to figure out what his range of motion was. The good sign was that his ribs didn't hurt any more then they did before, so at least he didn't have to worry about them being broken. But his back...

"This seat taken?"

Yuki started and looked up. "Doctor Kitagawa?" He looked around.

"Mai didn't call me, I came for dinner." The doctor said soothingly. He slid into the booth across from Yuki. "But when I came in she did mentioned to seemed to be having some trouble."

Yuki sighed. He glanced around again, making sure that Tooru had gone into the kitchen. "It... It hurts more then it did yesterday. My back, not my ribs." Yuki was annoyed that his voice came out sounding much more scared then he intended.

"That's not all that surprising." Kitagawa said, scratching at the side of his mouth. "You were in shock yesterday, that can cover all sorts of ills."

"Shock?" Wasn't that why Tooru was acting so hysterical yesterday? What did that have to do with him?

Kitagawa smiled as Mai brought him some tea and a menu. "No need for that. You know what I want."

Mai glanced between Kitagawa and Yuki, obviously wanting listen in. "I'll get Ginta right on that." She said and reluctantly turned her attention to the busy restaurant.

"Shock is a broad term. Your girl," Yuki blushed at the doctor referring to Tooru that way, "had something of a serious case of shock to help her deal with a frightening situation. Shock and adrenaline are our bodies' way of coping with hard situations until we have time to deal with them safely." Kitagawa sipped on his tea. "Yesterday your body was masking the pain you were in to let you get into town and take care of your friends. But there is a time limit to such things... and you are at the end of yours." He looked at Yuki seriously. "I don't believe your injuries are any worse then they were yesterday, unless you have done something particularly foolish today. But I would feel better about it if you came into the office and let me take some x-rays. If cost is an issue, you wouldn't have to worry about payment."

Yuki looked down at the table. Doctor's visits left records, and that they were trying to avoid. But it wasn't as if there was a single person in this town who probably _didn't_ know about them already...

"I can come in tomorrow." Yuki said feeling defeated. The truth was that he was scared. All of their plans hinged on them being healthy and able to work. What kind of burden would he put on Tooru and Kyou if he were really hurt?

Kitagawa smiled, "That is a very smart move. Now tell me what you did today and we'll figure out why the pain might have increased."

Yuki gave him a quick rundown of the day's events.

"Did you do your stretches this morning? Or when you returned?" Kitagawa asked.

Yuki winced. "It hurt too much when we got back, and this morning..."

"You forgot." Kitagawa smiled as Mai brought him a plate of food. "How are you feeling now? The medication should be in full effect now."

Yuki blinked and took inventory. "It still hurts to bend too far." But he was sure he could move out of the booth without too much trouble now.

"Tomorrow we'll do some mobilizations to find out what your true range is. For now, listen to your body. If you get a sharp pain, stop. Don't lift anything you don't have to with that shoulder."

Yuki nodded and slid out of the booth. "Yes, sir. Thank you for your time. I'll let you eat your dinner." He wasn't looking forward to telling Kyou that he'd agreed to go to the doctor's, but at least it might help alleviate some of Tooru's worries. He went to go find them and get it over with.

He only got as far as the podium when Mai almost ran right into him. Only long training and experience as a junninshi member kept them from colliding. Yuki stepped nimbly out of her way, and kept her from upsetting the tray she was carrying.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" Mai said, her tight curled hair looking frizzy and her cheeks red. She regained her footing. The phone on the podium rang and she almost upset the tray she was carrying trying to answer it.

"Mai, should we just seat ourselves?" A pair of elderly women waited by the podium. Yuki looked over and saw there were quite a few people waiting to be seated.

Mai put her hand over the receiver. "There's a table back that way." She tried to gesture with her chin. "I'm sorry, could you repeat that?" She said into the phone.

The women exchanged glances and peered into the restaurant trying to figure out where Mai had been gesturing.

"This way." Yuki said, his added height allowing him to see the empty table. He gestured for them to follow him. "I think she meant this one." He smiled politely at them and pulled out one of the chairs.

"Thank you, young man." The shorter of the two ladies said settling into the chair.

He helped the second lady into her chair and turned to leave, passing Mai as she served her tray of food to a table. "Thank you for helping." Mai started to smile, but it quickly faded when the phone rang again. "That phone! It hasn't stopped since-"

"Mai!" A hand waved from a table. "Could we get-"

"Is it seat yourself tonight, Mai?" Someone called impatiently from the doorway. Mai looked back and forth between the podium and the ringing phone, the customers at the table and the growing crowd by the door.

Yuki looked around, there weren't any clean tables left. There were a couple of tables with dirty plates scattered around the restaurant. "Let me help Mai-san." Yuki said quickly, "I'll get the phone and tell the people by the door to wait."

"Thank you." Mai said, blowing out an exasperated breath and starting to move towards the customers at the table. "Oh, after you've taken that order, please take it and this to Ginta in the kitchen." She tore off an order on the top of her pad and pressed it into his hand. "Tell the people at the door we just have to clear some tables."

Yuki hurried over to the podium and smiled charmingly at the upset people waiting in the doorway. "Just a moment please." He said and picked up the phone. "Yes, how may I help you?"

"Is this Kazuya?" A confused voice asked. "Did I dial the right number, this is the Iwaya's restaurant?"

"This is, I'm just helping out." Yuki answered looking around the podium for something to write with. "May I help you?"

"Okay." The voice sounded doubtful, "We'd like to order for delivery."

"Yes." Yuki said finding an order pad and pen under the main podium. "Tonight they are only serving from the combination menu."

"Thats fine. We'd like a Set B and a Set D, to be delivered to the Matsumoto's."

"Set B and Set D." Yuki wrote down. "Yes, um... address?"

"Kazuya still doing the deliveries?" The voice sounded amused.

"Yes?" Yuki said, looking up as the door opened and even more people crowded into the entryway.

"He'll know the address then." The person on the other end hung up and Yuki looked at the phone wryly.

"Is it going to be long?" Someone called from the back of the crowd in the doorway.

Yuki looked up, it seemed like the crowd had doubled while he was on the phone. He glanced over at dining floor. Mai was frantically trying to clear some tables.

"It will be a little while." Yuki grabbed some menus from the podium and handed them out to the waiting crowd. "It's just the combination dinners tonight if you want to look over the menu as you wait."

There were grumbles but the accepted the menus. Yuki turned into the kitchen, wincing as his back caught a little when he moved too quickly.

"Hey Yuki." Kazuya said lifting two delivery boxes, "Bye Yuki!" He grinned and walked out the door.

"Did Yuki-kun finish his dinner?" Tooru smiled from the counter. She'd finished the onigiri and was arranging them on a freshly washed platter from Kyou.

Yuki blinked at her. "Er, yes, um..." He looked around and found Ginta, "Excuse me Sir, Mai-san asked me to give this to you... and someone called in an order too... for delivery, but they didn't leave an address."

Ginta wiped his hands on his apron. "Who did? Oh, Matsumoto's, no problem." He took the slips and stabbed them onto a spike by the grill. "Busy out there?" He asked Yuki and then turned to Hiroki. "Set E, Set C, Set A, and another Set B and Set D to go."

"I'll prep 'em. Hey," Hiroki tapped Tooru's head. "You mind slicing some carrots?"

"No!" She followed him over to the counter smiled as the cook set the carrots and knife in front of her.

"When you're done with those, let me know and I'll give you something else to cut up."

Ginta cleared his throat and Yuki started, realizing he'd been watching Tooru instead of answering his question. "It's very busy. There aren't any clear tables and Mai-san is having trouble keeping up..."

"When Kazuya gets back tell him to go clear some tables before his next order." Ginta said to Hiroki.

"That's going to be at least a half hour from now." Hiroki said. "Want me to go out and clear them?"

"I can go." Kyou said. "I'm almost done here."

"If you don't mind helping," Ginta said, "We'd appreciate it. There's a tub by the sink to carry the dishes in."

Yuki looked at Kyou as he passed with the tub. "You're helping?"

Kyou shrugged."I just did some dishes."

"Honda-san too?" Yuki said looking at Tooru happily slicing up carrots.

The cat shrugged again. "She wanted to help."

Yuki frowned. "She should be resting."

Kyou shook his head. "She had that face."

"Face?" Yuki asked. "You mean that one?" Yuki knew "that look" well, that determined expression that there was no arguing with.

"Yeah." Kyou said shortly.

"Okay." Yuki sighed. "I'll tell Mai-san you're clearing the tables, so she knows she doesn't have to." He glanced at Tooru before he left the kitchen. She grinned and waved to him, sliding the carrots onto a plate. Hiroki handed her some radishes and she went back to cutting away. Yuki shook his head, bemused, and followed Kyou back into the restaurant. Tooru always looked happiest when she was keeping busy. He shouldn't be so surprised.

The phone rang as he passed the podium and he looked around for Mai. She was in the back of the restaurant. She looked up worriedly. He gestured that he'd answer it and took the phone message. It was another delivery, and another person who sounded amused when he asked for an address.

"Is it going to be much longer?"

Yuki looked up to see a frazzled looking woman standing with two worn out looking children. A man he assumed was her husband stood behind her, looking tired and holding a third child. Kyou looked back into the restaurant, and could see that Kyou had finished clearing one table and had moved on to the next.

"This way." Yuki said and led them back to the table. He still had the order pad in his hand from the podium. He looked at the family, exhausted and looking back at him expectantly. "Um, do you know what you'd like to order?"

The woman smiled brilliantly. "Yes, thank you!" She said and eagerly placed their order.

Yuki copied it down. Then turned to find Mai.

She was pouring tea for a table, and still looking harried. She turned when he called her name.

"Mai-san, Kyou is clearing the tables..." Yuki gestured to where the redhead was cleaning off a table. "And Honda-san is helping in the kitchen. I took a couple orders..." He handed her the slips. He looked around. The crowd was still piling up in the doorway and all around the restaurant he could see people who looked like they had questions or were waiting for checks. He heard the phone start to ring up at the podium. "I'll get that for Mai-san." He he looked down at her hands, she had more orders in her hands. "Let me take those into the kitchen for you."

"Oh, but you all shouldn't be..."

"Mai-san said it herself, it's our responsibility to help each other out." Yuki gave her his most perfect prince-like smile and she blushed. He took the slips from her hand. He turned trying to keep a smirk to himself. This felt _good_, he was finally doing something useful!

He ducked into the kitchen and put the orders on the spike. Tooru waved at him and he smiled. He carried that smile up to the podium, charming the crowd into patience with menus and promises of tables. He kept track of the tables Kyou cleared and kept people moving briskly into them.

He answered the phone when it rang, and kept orders flowing into the kitchen. It was a lot like handling school events, listening to what people needed and making sure they got it. If you kept a smile on your face, even when it was busy, people smiled back at you.

He led a couple back to a table he'd thought had been cleared. There were a couple plates on the table. He looked around for Kyou, but he was nowhere to be found. He sighed, he'd wanted to get back into the kitchen to check on Tooru. She'd been making onigiri and looking exhausted last time he'd been in and he wanted to try to get her to stop for the night. His back was starting to hurt again and he remembered he hadn't told Tooru and Kyou about agreeing to meet with the doctor tomorrow.

"I'm sorry." He said irritably to the couple. "I thought this table had been cleared, please wait just a moment while I get rid of these." He started picking up the plates. He reached for one on the far side and cried out as he moved the wrong way and his whole back seized, locking him in place.

"Kuso Nezumi!" Kyou sneered. He set his tub on the table and grabbed the plates. "I thought you were the smart one. Quit doing stupid stuff." He roughly helped Yuki back on his feet. "If you hurt yourself worse, she's just gonna get upset."

Yuki flushed. "Sorry for trying to help you do your job!" He said angrily. "There were people waiting."

"Well, sorry if I'm not moving fast enough!" Kyou said hefting the tub to his hip. "It's a little harder then smiling and writing on pieces of paper!"

"But perfectly suited to your intelligence." Yuki said coldly, embarrassed by his current state of disability. "I know you have trouble with the alphabet, so some of the sets might be beyond you. Did you ever get past C?"

The crowd in the restaurant was listening closely to their argument with interest, but the boys were oblivious. Both were tired and frustrated and ready for a fight.

Kyou flushed stepping closer. "Nezumi-"

"Kyou-kun!" Tooru called coming out of the kitchen with a glass of water and looking around. The boys stepped apart and turned towards her. She broke into a smile at the sight of them. "Kyou-kun, we're running short on small plates."

"This is the last table to clear." Kyou said quickly grabbing the last plate off the table. "I'll have some clean in a few minutes."

"Thank you Kyou-kun!" Tooru smiled yawning. "Kazuya-san is back, but Ginta-san sent him up to bed. He looked like he was going to fall over."

Kyou pulled the white beanie she was still wearing over her eyes. "You should rest soon too." He walked past her and patted her on the head so the hat slipped further down until the brim nearly touched her nose.

Tooru giggled as she pushed it back up.

Yuki smiled. She looked tired, but he couldn't remember the last time she looked so happy. She smiled up at him.

"He's right." Yuki said, "You should rest."

"Soon." Tooru smiled. "I brought this for Yuki-kun." She handed him the glass of water. "Yuki-kun almost forgot to take his medicine again, it's supposed to be every four hours." She pressed a pill into his hand.

"Has it been that long already?" Yuki asked, surprised. Tooru nodded and watched when he took the pill.

"Yuki-kun should rest soon too. And he should remember to take his medicine," Tooru scolded. He handed her the glass back and she let her fingers linger over his hand as she took it. "When I see Yuki-kun in pain... I don't like it." Tooru said looking down, clutching the glass between two hands, and looking up at him through her lashes. "It's scary." She whispered.

"I'm sorry," He apologized. "Doctor Kitagawa was here today, I promised I'd go see him tomorrow for x-rays, so Honda-san doesn't have to worry, alright?"

Tooru glowed. "Thank you Yuki-kun! Oh, also, Ginta-san said no more deliveries tonight."

Yuki nodded, "Alright. Honda-san is going to rest then?"

"Yes, soon." Tooru nodded. "When Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun are done." She looked towards the kitchen. "There are a lot of dishes left, I'm going to go help Kyou-kun."

"Alright." Yuki said watching her go. There was a soft cough behind him and he started. He blushed bright red. The couple was still standing behind him waiting to be seated. "I'm so sorry to keep you waiting. Please sit. Do you know what you want to order?" He took down their order and escaped. For the first time there wasn't anyone waiting to be seated and no ringing phone.

He wandered around the restaurant floor making sure everyone had everything they needed. He passed Hiroki and Mai sitting at a booth grabbing a quick bite.

"Oi, sit down for a minute." Hiroki waved him over. "We put the closed sign up, so it's just taking care of the people we've got now."

"Thank you." Yuki said settling into booth. Once he was down he wasn't sure if he'd be able to get back up again. His whole body ached, and his feet hurt in an interesting way he'd never felt before. He closed his eyes. Well, he'd never really "worked" a day in his life either. Even up in the mountain hadn't been the same. People did things like this every day? _Tooru_ had done things like this _and_ gone to school _and_ kept house for them. He really was a useless person.

"Ginta-san sent out some tea."

Yuki opened his eyes to see Tooru smiling down at him. He straightened up in his seat. She set the tray with the tea down and set cups in front of Hiroki, Mai and Yuki and poured them tea. She poured an extra cup and sat down next to Yuki with a pleased sigh. She swung her feet a little as she sipped her tea. She looked worn, and just as weary as he was, but she was smiling. She looked up and caught him staring at her.

"Doesn't Yuki-kun want tea?" She looked at his untouched cup. "Is Yuki-kun's stomach bothering him again? Yuki-kun didn't eat anything when he took his medicine."

"No, that's not it." He said softly, too tired to even quickly reassure her. "I was just thinking how amazing Honda-san is."

Tooru's mouth parted, and her face went from peachy-pink to scarlet. "What? I mean... that is... Amazing? I'm not-"

"So very amazing." Yuki interrupted and pushed the hat down over her eyes. He was lightheaded and the world was hazy.

Tooru pushed the hat up, goggling at Yuki. He pushed it back down. "Peek-a-boo." He said.

Hiroki coughed. "Um, you got that medicine bottle of his on you?" He asked Tooru. She fumbled in her pocket for it and handed it over the table. Hiroki peered at it. "Yup... I bet he's feelin' pretty happy right now, that's a pretty powerful dosage to take on an empty stomach." He took an onigiri off his plate and shook it at Yuki. "You'd better eat one of these before you fall over."

"I'm not hungry." Yuki said politely. He was fascinated by Tooru's hair. He tugged on a lock of it. "You're wearing my ribbons, I love when you do that. I'm no good at anything, but Honda-san can do anything. That's really amazing."

Tooru looked at Yuki. He was smiling at her so sweetly that she was speechless.

"Hey, kid." Hiroki said, drawing Yuki's attention. "Tooru made this. You should eat it." He looked amused. "This is cute and all, but I don't want to have to carry you upstairs when you pass out."

"Honda-san makes the best onigiri." Yuki said agreeably, taking the riceball and taking a bite. He smiled at her as he ate it.

"Nothing to worry about." Hiroki said handing Tooru the bottle back. "The pill's just making him a little loopy. Probably a combination of lack of food, how skinny you all are, and lack of sleep. He'll be out like a light as soon as he lies down."

"Oi." Kyou came up to the table, his shirt sweat stained and his hair standing on end from being over a steamy sink all night. "Is there tea left?" He glanced around, there were only one or two people still eating. He lifted up the edge of his shirt to wipe the perspiration off his face.

"Yes," Tooru smiled inching over to let him into the booth and poured him a cup. "Kyou-kun finished all the dishes?"

"Everything that was in there now." He sighed. "Ginta said he's closing the grill, so I should come out here and sit down." He sat down and sniffed loudly. "I feel gross."

"Kyou-kun worked hard." Tooru nodded as he slipped in close to her, sandwiching her between him and Yuki.

"I stink." Kyou complained, wrinkling his nose before taking a sip of his tea. "Sorry."

"I don't mind it." Tooru said softly, flushing. She could smell him, a musky scent that was Kyou, spice, hard work and steam. She rested her head on his shoulder. She kind of liked it, it reminded her of the mornings he'd sit by her at Shigure's after he'd gone on his morning runs.

Kyou stiffened, "Don't do that! I'm filthy."

"Kazuya took a bath before he went to bed." Mai said looking at them indulgently. "The bath water should be ready if you want to wash up before you sleep." She looked over. "It looks like they're ready to pay. Good work everyone."

"Yes, thank you." Tooru smiled. She looked up at the boy by her side. "Kyou-kun can go first."

"N-nah..." He stuttered, she was awfully close. "You can. The rat and I can go at the same time." He hid his face in his teacup.

"I don't know if you want to put that fella in a bath." Hiroki said looking at Yuki with narrowed eyes. "He might drown."

"I'm a very good swimmer." Yuki said cracking an eye. "It's Honda-san who doesn't know how to breathe when swimming. And of course, the baka neko hates the water." He closed his eyes. "That's why he smells."

Kyou stared at the rat. He half rose in his seat. "What the-!"

Tooru put a hand to his arm. "Yuki-kun isn't himself."

"That medicine really knocked him for a loop." Hiroki said, his amusement plain. "He was giving our little kitchen helper here all sorts of compliments."

"He was?" Kyou settled back into his seat. "Like what?" He glared at the rat. He'd thought they sort of had an understanding from last night and this morning, no pressuring Tooru to choose. So it wasn't pressure, but trying to charm her into liking him more (!) the rat was dirtier then he thought.

"Said she was a-maze-ing." Hiroki sing-songed wagging a finger back and forth as he stood and gathered his and Mai's empty plates. Kyou glared at Yuki. Hiroki stretched "I'm glad to see the end of this day. I'll leave you kids alone."

"I like being alone with Honda-san." Yuki nodded, having finished his onigiri. "Better than anything." Tooru hid her face in her hands. "Please, no peek-a-boo now."

"Yuki-kun," Tooru said softly, peeking over her fingers. "Why does Yuki-kun say he's no good at anything?" She whispered. "He's good at everything he does."

"Yes I am." Yuki smiled. "I'm useless." He twined his fingers in her hair again. "I can't catch a fish, or do useful work, or even buy the right groceries."

"Yuki-kun isn't useless." Tooru whispered, shivering at the feel of his fingers brushing at the back of his neck. "Yuki-kun is the smartest person I know, one of the bravest too."

"Mmmm..." Yuki said, "Honda-san it too forgiving." He leaned back against he booth and closed his eyes. "I've done so many bad things to her and she still looks at me like I'm worth something. Honda-san is amazing." Yuki said opening his eyes and frowning at Hiroki as he walked away towards the kitchen. He looked at Kyou. "She never complains. Never. Ever. Never-ever. Not even after I lost the picture of her mother. I can't do anything, but that doesn't seem to bother Honda-san."

"Yuki-kun can do a lot of things." Tooru protested. "And Mother... " she looked down, "... it's alright."

"Ne, Kyou," Yuki said, pushing himself upright. "I think, now." He peered at Tooru and after a moments deliberation, pushed her hat down so it covered her eyes again.

"Now?" Kyou's hand went to his pants pocket and he looked around. Mai was ushering the last customers out the door, Hiroki and Ginta were in the kitchen, they were about as alone as they could get.

Tooru pushed up her hat and looked between them. "Now?" She asked plaintively. They'd been talking "around" her all day, she'd suspected they were keeping secrets. She knew they talked about her sometimes, and worried about her, but this was a different feeling. She didn't like it.

"We've been keeping a secret." Yuki said. "Almost all day." He smiled like a little child. "We kept it from Honda-san!" He tapped her on the nose.

"You have?" Tooru looked cross-eyed at him. She glanced up at Kyou. He was blushing. "Why?"

"We... uh..." Kyou started awkwardly, Tooru's big eyes fixed on him and he stammered to a stop. He glanced past her shoulder at the unnerving sight of Yuki twirling her hair around a finger.

"I failed Honda-san." Yuki interrupted, leaning his forehead against her back. "I tried to get her Mother's picture, but...it was lost. But we found something... or rather, Kyou found something and I agreed we should buy it."

"Here." Kyou said standing up and reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a small box and thrust it at her.

Tooru glanced behind her as best she could at the warm weight on her back and then up at Kyou. A present? They'd bought her a present. But they had so little money as it was... "But-"

"Just open it!" Kyou said shortly, his cheeks blazing. "If you don't like it we can take it back. But open it first."

Tooru opened the box up and lifted out a delicate silver bracelet. A twinkle of red caught her eye and she held up the bracelet so that it caught the light. There was a silver and rhinestone charm glittering off of a link near the clasp. "It's beautiful." She said, confused. Jewelry?

"That damn yankee, and that denpa, I remember what they said." Kyou said, "The stories they told. About your mom I mean."

Tooru flinched at the mention of Uo-chan and Hana-chan. Then she blinked and looked back at the charm. A red butterfly.

"That's what they used to call her, right? Your mom? Red Butterfly?"

She was hearing his voice from a distance, entranced by the twinkling of the red stones. Her mouth moved, but her lips were numb. "They said her tail lights blinked like a red butterfly." She looked up at Kyou.

"Are you crying?" Kyou said angrily. "Crying!" He got down on his knees to be eye level with her. "That's not fair! If we do something nice you're not supposed to cry." He pleaded with her. "If you don't like it we'll bring it back, okay?"

Tooru clutched it tight. "No!"

"Honda-san doesn't like it?" Yuki said, moving away from her. His head was aching. He was coming back to himself, and was horribly embarrassed. Peek-a-boo? "I know it's not the same as the picture. But we thought it would be a way to keep your mother with you."

Tooru hunched over her hands, tears coursing down her cheeks. "Thank you, thank you so much." She'd really tried hard not to show how much she'd been upset at losing the photo. Logically, weighing the photo against Yuki's life and all they'd gone through that night she'd give up the photo a thousand times, a million times. But still, there would be times during the day she'd think "I have to tell Mom about this" and she'd have to remember that it was gone and it would hurt all over again. How was it they always knew what she tried to hide?

"Then you do like it?" Kyou asked, pushing her hair back from her face. "Then why are you crying?"

"Because I love it so much!" Tooru sobbed.

"It's nothing that special." Yuki said rubbing his temples. "It's just rhinestones, I don't even think it's really silver." He couldn't handle her tears, even if they were for a "good" reason. "Someday, when we have more money... we'll buy you a better one."

"No!" Tooru said emphatically. "It has to be this one." She scrubbed her eyes. "Would Yuki-kun help me put it on?"

Yuki helped her clip it around her wrist and she held it up and watched it twinkle. "Kyou-kun found this?" She said looking down at him. He sat on his haunches looking up at her.

"Yeah...well, I saw the charm, and I thought, you know, that it'd be a way to keep her with you kinda. But the Rat," Kyou glanced at Yuki, sitting behind her, "He was the one who picked out the bracelet, said it'd be okay to buy." He didn't know why he'd tossed that in, the Rat had been complimenting her and getting, all he could think of was _snuggly, _with her. But it just wasn't right to take credit for something that had really been something they did together.

"Thank you, thank you both." She looked back and forth between them, tearing up again.

"Honda-san," Yuki said softly, now wholly down from his medicated high, or at least sobered enough by her tears to jump start his brain into proper functions. "What this really is," He reached out and took her wrist, stroking the bracelet, "is an apology."

"Apology?"

"We've taken everything from Honda-san." Yuki said glancing at Kyou as he took her other hand. "Your friends, school, even your home... now more then once."

Tooru started to shake her head, but Yuki didn't let her interrupt. "We couldn't, I couldn't, even save a picture of your Mother." He looked down. "I really am useless." He looked back up at her, looking determined. "But I'm not going to stay that way. Kyou and I," he glanced at Kyou again and he nodded, "We've made a promise. We aren't going to let Honda-san be hurt again, we won't take anything else away from you. We're going to try to give as much as we can back to you."

"Do you understand?" Kyou said. "You don't have to be afraid anymore."

"So this is a promise." Tooru said clutching their hands tight. "That Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun will stay with me?"

Yuki and Kyou shared a surprised look. "Honda-san," Yuki said carefully. "Neither of us want to leave you. But someday Honda-san might-"

"No." Tooru said fiercely. "I won't." She shook her head. "It has to be Kyou-kun _and_ Yuki-kun. It's selfish, but Kyou-kun said it's okay to be selfish sometimes, to say what I want."

Kyou looked up, surprised to hear his words from so long ago tossed back at him.

"What I want is Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun." Tooru said firmly. "Yuki-kun said that I was reacting to what happened, and he's right. Because when I thought that I might die, the only thing I wanted was them. Both of them. I don't think I'm confused." She looked up at them. "Probably, I'm being punished for being so selfish, but I can't stop, because I just want more and and more of Kyou-kun and Yuki-kun, however much I have isn't enough. Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun have given up so much for me, but for now, I can't stop being selfish." She bowed her head, still clutching their hands. They were speechless. "So for now... can I take this as Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun's promise?"

"If you stop crying." Kyou blurted, his face blazing bright, bright red. "I'll promise."

"I guess I'm selfish too." Yuki said, "Because I just want more and more of Honda-san too. I'll promise."

"I'll promise to stop crying." Tooru said to Kyou, making a liar out of herself. "I'll try."

"Are one of you taking a bath?" Mai called from the doorway of the kitchen. "We should be turning out the lights in here."

"Oh!" Tooru let her death grip on their hands go. "We still have teacups." She started gathering them up, embarrassed that her face was blotchy with tears. "We're coming!"

She couldn't look at Yuki or Kyou ashamed that she'd been so frank with feelings that she'd guarded even from herself for so long. She knew she was doing a horrible thing, she should release them and send them back to the lives they deserved. Yuki shouldn't be limping after her, severely injured. Kyou shouldn't be sweaty with such crass work as dish washing. She'd been born to this kind of life, they'd been born for better things. They said they'd taken everything from her, but she was the one who'd really been stealing things away from them.

Mai looked her over worriedly as they reached the kitchen doorway. "Is everything alright?"

"Yes." Tooru smiled, even knowing she was doing an awful thing by making them promise, she couldn't help the warmth of knowing they'd keep that promise. "Look what Kyou-kun and Yuki-kun bought!" She held up her wrist. "Isn't it beautiful?"

Mai gave a little "o" of appreciation. "Lovely!"

"It's to help remember my Mother." Tooru explained. "They used to call her the Red Butterfly."

Yuki watched Tooru babble at Mai about her mother history and wondered what he and Kyou had really just agreed to. He glanced at the cat and found him watching Tooru too. He glanced at Yuki.

"Did we say the right thing?" Kyou asked. "Do the right thing?"

"I don't know." Yuki said. "We just have to keep our promise."

"What do we do now?"

Yuki sighed, wondering when he'd been elected decision-maker for their... he didn't know what to call it, family? He kind of liked the way that sounded. He glanced at Kyou.

"Right now you have to go take a bath. You smell, Baka neko."


	22. Partly Cloudy, With a Chance of Rain

Yuki and Kyou took their baths first, not arguing about taking them together tonight. They were both too tired and too shell shocked by Tooru's "selfish request" to even think about doing more then their regular bickering. They'd forgotten to buy new sleepwear and had to borrow Kazuya's again. Yuki sighed, another shopping trip needed and more money gone. He should offer to pay Kitagawa something too, he'd given them free checkups and prescriptions already.

"So..." Kyou said, sitting at the shower head and scrubbing his hair for the second time. He felt like he could still smell the grease of the kitchen. "We're going to go shopping again tomorrow?"

"You and Honda-san are." Yuki said starting awake in the tub. He'd been drifting off as he soaked in the warm water. His mouth twisted, he suspected Kyou had said something to keep him from falling asleep completely. He didn't particularly feel like getting pulled from the tub by the cat either. Things were awkward enough between them.

"Where are you going to be?" Kyou said looking over his shoulder at him."I'm not picking out your clothes!" He rinsed out his hair. It would have to do.

"I wouldn't want you to." Yuki sighed. "Doctor Kitagawa came in and suggested I take some x-rays. I have to go to his office tomorrow."

Kyou whipped around. "Do you think that's a good idea?"

"No." Yuki said, rubbing at his shoulder. "But, I don't think I have a choice. My back hurt worse today, and I have to be able to work once we get to our new home. I can't..._we_ can't afford for me to be permanently injured." He turned away from Kyou's direct stare. He kind of liked being part of a "we," even if it included the cat.

"Yeah." Kyou said turning and grabbing a towel to dry his hair. "You can't expect her and me to carry your ass like we did tonight." He stood, feeling a funny tumble in his middle. Where they really doing this? The three of them?

"Shut up Baka Neko." Yuki said pulling himself out of the tub reluctantly.

They found Tooru sound asleep at Keiko's desk. Her bed was still covered in the clothes they'd bought.

"Honda-san." Yuki said, gingerly shaking her awake. "The bathroom is free. Mai-san and the others will be up soon, Honda-san should hurry up and take her bath." Mai, Ginta and Hiroki had stayed to finish cleaning the kitchen. He'd been thankful when Mai refused their help and had insisted they go up to bed ahead of them.

Tooru wiped the sleep from her eyes. "Will Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun wait for me?"

"Wait for what?" Kyou asked with a huge yawn, leaning up against the wall.

"I want to say goodnight to Kyou-kun and Yuki-kun." Tooru said. She hated the thought of coming back to a dark room and having to crawl into bed all alone. The thought scared her so much, even though it was stupid and completely illogical, that she didn't even want to clear the bed off. She knew they promised to stay with her, but it was like her body didn't and still kept pumping fear and anxiety through her.

"Of course we'll wait for Honda-san." Yuki said. "I still have to do my stretches." He glanced at the bed. "And we'll put the clothes away for Honda-san."

Yuki and Kyou exchanged a glance at Tooru's shudder.

"Okay." She said raising her chin, she was determined not to be as needy now that they'd promised not to leave.

"I think we need to buy something to carry this stuff in." Kyou said looking at it. They'd carried their stuff up the mountain in shopping bags and down in the few they could salvage and tied up in towels. He wanted to ask Yuki what he thought of Tooru's request, her demand that it be the three of them. Was the Rat really okay with that? Was he?

"I think it would be less noticeable if we had duffel bags." Yuki agreed, stretching out his back. He thought this might be a record, going this long without arguing with the cat. How was this going to work? Him, the Cat and Tooru?

"We'll look for them tomorrow." Kyou said, starting to move the stuff over to the desk. "She's got twice as much clothes as us." Us... he'd never thought he'd think of him and the mouse as an "us."

"Isn't that normal for girls?" Yuki said, rubbing his shoulder. He was afraid to sit down. He was so tired he was pretty sure he'd fall asleep as soon as he stopped moving. He couldn't think.

"Not her." Kyou snorted. "You've got the least, Rat. I think that's a first." He'd promised he'd stay. So he'd have to figure this out, but he just couldn't make heads or tails of it.

"It's enough." Yuki said, refusing to take offense and helping him move the stuff off. "At least till we start working and going to school. Honda-san and I will have to buy uniforms probably."

"Damn, and those things can be expensive." Kyou ran a frustrated hand through his hair, glad to have something, anything else to fret about.

"We can buy them used." Tooru said from the doorway, flushed and shining from her quick bath. She'd been as quick as possible, not even bothering to wash her hair. "It's much cheaper, we'll have to ask when we start school. Sometimes they have them." She still couldn't quite believe that they'd really promised to be with her. She still half expected someone to snatch them away when she wasn't looking. She'd never done anything to deserve having them, so it would make sense that the universe would somehow right itself and take them away.

"Did Honda-san wear a used uniform before?" Yuki asked, surprised she was back so soon. He'd never even knew that they sold used uniforms. He supposed it made sense...but he couldn't imagine wearing a set of clothes that had been worn every day, a thousand times or more, by a stranger.

"Yes," Tooru said cheerfully, hiding her fear with idle chit-chat. "I especially had to save money at the start of high school. I promised Grandfather I would pay my own expenses."

"The bed is clear." Kyou said, crossing his arms. It pissed him off that he never noticed she wore a used uniform before. He didn't know how he should have been able to tell, but he should have some how.

"We should let Honda-san sleep then." Yuki gestured to the bed. "Honda-san, tomorrow while I'm at the doctors you and Kyou will do a little more shopping, if you don't mind."

"I don't mind." Tooru said, sitting on the edge of the bed and swallowing deeply. She shivered, she didn't want to go to sleep alone. She twisted her hands together. "Oh, also, I should mend the things we have once the laundry comes back."

"Good plan..." Yuki said glancing at Kyou. Tooru looked tense and scared. He was sure she was afraid of sleeping alone, but they couldn't take her into their room. Kazuya was sleeping there already, and Mai had made her opinion on that clear.

"Yo." Kyou said, walking over and suddenly kneeling in front of her. "You scared?"

"No." Tooru said, hunching her shoulders.

"Liar." Kyou snorted.

Tooru looked up, her shock plain.

"You want us to stay here until you fall asleep?" Kyou glanced at Yuki who nodded.

"If it would make Honda-san feel better..." Yuki said, drawing up the desk chair to the bed, wishing he'd thought of it first. "We can stay at least that long."

Tooru looked between them. "Thank you." She said. Again they'd guessed what was bothering her without saying a word. "If Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun really don't mind..." She wanted to be strong for them, like they were for her, but they'd offered so she supposed it was okay to accept their help.

"Get into bed already." Kyou said, sitting on the floor and leaning against the bed. "Get the lights, Rat."

"After Honda-san lays down." Yuki said, standing by the switch.

Tooru got herself under the covers and laid down. She still wasn't used to being so warm and comfortable.

Yuki flipped the light switch and sat down in the chair. Kyou crossed his arms and relaxed, closing his eyes. Yuki sighed tried to get comfortable in the chair.

"Thank you." Tooru said softly. "For everything." She stroked her bracelet under the blankets, she'd barely removed it for her bath. She had to work harder, to be a stronger person so they wouldn't have to worry about her all the time. She tried to settle in the plush bed, but more than anything she wished they were going to be together all night.

"Shut up and go to sleep." Kyou mumbled. Today had been a long day, she needed her rest. Yuki had already fallen asleep.

::0::0::

"The boys aren't in Kazuya's room." Mai said peeping in his room. Their futons were untouched.

"Mai." Ginta said, coming out of the bathroom. "Stop being so nosy."

She crept over to Keiko's door. "But it's not right-" She carefully opened the door. "Oh my."

Ginta peeped over her head into the room. "Boy's gonna regret sleeping in the chair."

"Maybe you should-" Mai started.

"I'm too old to be hauling boys around." Ginta snorted, "And I ain't gonna risk scaring that girl by looming over her bed."

"Oh, you." Mai said, slipping into the room. "Excuse me," She whispered, shaking Yuki's shoulder. "You should go get into bed instead of sleeping here."

Yuki's head lolled to the side and his mouth fell open, but he didn't wake or even flinch. Mai shook her head and moved to Kyou, she reached down and shook his shoulder.

His breathing changed, but he didn't open his eyes. He knew the Rat was going to be impossible to move, and he wasn't going to be the only one sleeping away from Tooru.

Mai had been a mother too long not to know when someone was faking. "Fine." She said, "For tonight you can sleep here." She went into the closet and pulled a pair of blankets out, draping one over each boys. But just for tonight." She glanced at Ginta, who looked amused. "Your friend is going to be all knots after sleeping in that chair."

"Stop bothering them Mai, and come to bed. Tomorrow will come soon enough." Ginta gestured for her to come.

"Goodnight." Mai whispered and headed for the door.

"Goodnight." Kyou said, cracking an eye.

Mai smiled as she closed the door.

"Oi, Rat." Kyou said kicking his chair. "Lay down."

Yuki fell forward and Kyou had to move fast to keep him from tumbling to the floor. "Dammit, why do I have to do this?" He slung Yuki's arm over his neck and pulled him the rest of the way out of his seat. He laid him down on the ground. He was tempted to just leave him laying there, but knew that with his back the cold would effect him more then usual. He grabbed the blanket Mai had draped Yuki with and threw it over him.

"That looks disturbing." He muttered. It covered Yuki head to toe, he looked like a murder victim. He tugged it back so the mouse's face was exposed. He looked awkward with his head on the ground. "Dammit." Kyou grumbled, scrunching up his blanket and shoving it under Yuki's head. He threw himself back down and crossed his arms. He tried to tell himself he just did it because Tooru would be upset to find Yuki passed out without a blanket. Besides, the Rat had injured himself saving Tooru and him. It was only fair. He leaned back against the bed, things were getting so confused. Kyou didn't even know what he was doing anymore.

A soft hand stroked through his hair. "Thank you, Kyou-kun." Tooru said sleepily. "That was nice."

Kyou shivered as her fingers brushed against the back of his ear. He craned his neck to look at her. She was on her stomach, smiling dreamily at him. She was half asleep still and Kyou doubted she'd remember this in the morning.

"Whatever." Kyou said, looking away.

"Is Kyou-kun cold?" Tooru shifted, sliding the coverlet off the bed."Here."

"Thanks." Kyou said wrapping it around himself.

"Kyou-kun should lay down too." Tooru whispered, drawing her hand back under the blankets. She leaned forward and kissed him on the forehead. "Goodnight." She whispered, but didn't close her eyes. Kyou resisted the urge to touch where she had kissed him and lay down flat, and looked up at her. She smiled at him and closed her eyes, her lips quirked in a little smile.

Kyou felt an answering smile trying to take over his mouth. He closed his eyes and kept them shut until he heard a rustling. He looked up to see Tooru sliding out of bed with the rest of the blankets.

"What are you doing?" He raised his head.

Tooru shifted from foot to foot, clutching at the pillow from the bed, her eyes huge and begging in the darkness. She'd thought she could sneak between them while they slept.

"Whatever." Kyou sighed, putting his head back down. Tooru stepped around him, and laid down between Yuki and him. She lifted her blankets up a little and he scootched closer so that they fell over him. He threw the coverlet over them both. Tooru turned and tugged at Yuki's arm.

"Yuki-kun, come under the blankets." Tooru whispered.

"Mmmm?" He blinked at Tooru, rolled over and snuggled close. Tooru tugged at his blankets so they covered the three of them.

Tooru shifted so that her back was to him and gave a contented sigh, closing her eyes.

::0::0::

"How did we get here?" Yuki asked the next morning. Tooru was nestled between them, having burrowed under the blankets leaving her pillow behind. His arm was slung under her armpit and she was holding his hand in both of hers clutched to her chest.

"You fell off your chair." Kyou said, looking away, glossing over helping him to the floor. "So I laid down, and then later she crawled down too." He could feel her breath puffing on the base of his throat.

"We should get up before Mai-san tries to wake us." Yuki said reluctantly.

"Yeah." Kyou said.

Neither moved.

"Mmmmmm..." Tooru moaned, squirming between them. She stretched out on her back and gave a breathy sigh. "Oh."

"That's not fair." Kyou muttered, shifting uncomfortably. Her hand had fallen on his thigh. "Jeeze."

Yuki swallowed. She'd let go of his hand and it was now on her ribcage just under her breast. It he moved his hand just a little up...

"We should get up." Kyou said and sat up and away, pushing the blankets back.

"Yes." Yuki said, struggling to sit up.

"Uhn." Tooru said curling up at the sudden absence of blankets. Her mind was fuzzy, slowing starting to wake. "It's cold." She said, still half asleep. "I'm cold." Her eyes fluttered and she looked at them accusingly.

"Honda-san." Yuki brushed her cheek with his knuckles, her sleepy gaze making him bold. "It's time to get up."

Tooru held his hand to her cheek. "Yuki-kun is warm."

"Oi." Kyou said irritably. The last thing he wanted to see was them acting love-y together. "You heard him, time to get up." He straightened and put his hands on his knees, glaring at her. "So get up." He stood.

"Yes," Tooru yawned, glancing at Yuki and reluctantly letting his hand go. She sat up and held out a hand to Kyou to help her up.

He lifted her and she leaned forward woozily. She wasn't fully awake yet and let the momentum of his lift pull her towards him. She rested her forehead to his shoulder. "Mmm, Kyou-kun is warm too."

Kyou froze, and looked down in panic at Yuki. He couldn't handle a cuddly Tooru. Not this early in the morning. Yuki looked just as confused.

Tooru didn't seem to realize what she was doing him, to them. She straightened, yawned and stretched. "Oh, floor-san is _hard._" She put her hands to her back and stretched again.

She looked down and Yuki and bent over holding out her hands. "Does Yuki-kun need help getting up? Does his back hurt?"

From this angle Yuki could see right down her shirt. He swallowed and looked away. "No, thank you."

Yuki struggled to get to his feet. His back was tight and twisting was uncomfortable. His shoulder throbbed. He glanced back at Tooru to make sure she couldn't tell how much he was hurting.

She was stretching, her hands high in the air and her eyes closed. Her pale tummy peeked from under the large shirt she was wearing. The tiny sliver of skin fascinated him. He could feel his color rising and glanced away. His eyes met Kyou's, and he was sure his own face bore a matching look of panic to the Cat's.

"Oi." Kyou said, turning away from her and looking at the floor. "We should pick this mess up."

"Yes," Tooru said, rubbing sleep from her eyes. She bent down and picked up the blankets that went with the bed and threw them on top of it.

"Let's fold these ones first." She said picking up the extra blankets Mai had pulled out.

"Give me one." Kyou said, holding out a hand and not looking at her. He glanced at Yuki. "You should do your stretches."

Yuki nodded and moved to the back of the room. He winced, but went through his stretches once and then started them again. It was painful, but the good healing painful.

"Maybe," Kyou said hesitantly as Yuki finished up. "You should do some kata, to help stretch the muscles."

Yuki tried to hide his surprise at the suggestion.

Kyou looked away, "Not that I care or anything, but if you can't move you'll be causing problems for all of us." He finished folding the blanket and set it on the chair.

"Right." Yuki stiffened. He knew, logically, that it was just Kyou being awkward but it didn't make him feel any less frustrated. He didn't like the thought of being permanently disabled either. He wouldn't know until after his appointment today if he had anything to worry about. "Do you have any suggestions?"

"Did Shishou ever show you this one?" Kyou said. He stretched quickly and then went through a slow kata. He thought this one would be good because it was meant to be slow, and it mostly involved turning the upper body and moving the arms and shoulders. The legs only moved three times.

"No." Yuki said watching him run through it one more time. He mimicked Kyou's pose and followed his movements. He was frustrated that he couldn't flow through the moves properly. It was moments like these that he realized how injured he was. This was a basic level kata, he should have no problem with it.

"You should keep doing this one." Kyou said watching the rat move. He couldn't ever remember seeing the rat move so stiff, it made him uncomfortable just to watch. "It will help with your shoulder."

"Un." Yuki muttered. He could feel it pulling and the muscles protesting every move. It did feel a little looser.

"Me too!" Tooru said, putting her blanket on the chair. "I want to try too." Her heart was beating faster watching the two of them together.

"Honda-san does?" Yuki said straightening. He winced, he couldn't move quickly like that. "Why?"

"Kyou-kun said he'd teach me martial arts." Tooru explained. "I learned "cat stance" already. Kyou-kun does kata every morning, and now Yuki-kun will too. I want to be stronger." She confessed, pumping her arms. "Kyou-kun said I should train myself. I want to try." She looked between them. "So please? Will Kyou-kun show me too?"

Kyou scratched the side of his nose, knowing he was blushing and the Rat was watching. He'd thought after the way their last lesson ended that Tooru would avoid learning anything else from him. "I suppose it couldn't hurt." He muttered.

"Yay!" Tooru said clapping her hands. "How do I start?"

"First you should stretch." Kyou said. "Before you do anything you always should stretch. Like this." He did a couple stretches and then waited for her to copy them. They were regular stretches that she'd done in gym before so she had no trouble following along. Yuki watched them as he went through the kata again. Tooru was like an eager puppy. She'd been like that when she'd used to watch him plant things in the garden, it upset him that Kyou got to see that side of her too.

"Okay, um..." Kyou said, trying to figure out the best way to show her the kata. He met the rat's eyes and flushed. It was bad enough being put on the spot. It was worse that it was in front of him. Did he have to keep watching them? "Nezumi," Kyou said, "Can you get in front of her and show her?" He looked at Tooru, "I'll stand behind you and correct your movements." This way at least Yuki wouldn't be staring at them.

Yuki was surprised to be involved. He wanted to say no, stupidly jealous that Tooru wanted to learn anything from the cat. But she turned to look at him eagerly and he heard himself say, "Alright."

He turned and got into the first position. He felt Tooru step in behind him, and Kyou behind her.

"I'll name the positions, go slow so she can see what they are." Kyou said, gaining confidence now that neither of them were watching him. He tapped Tooru's shoulder and she glanced back at him. "Try to follow along, don't be surprised if you feel my hand, okay?"

"Okay!" Tooru grinned and faced forward. This felt great, she was learning from Kyou, and Yuki was helping!

Kyou started naming the katas and Yuki moved into them as he spoke. Tooru copied him clumsily, and Kyou let her get through one iteration of the kata before he tried to fix her stance. "Again." He said and repeated naming them, and Yuki started moving. Tooru felt Kyou's hand on her hips, gently pushing her into slightly different stance. He was practically pressed up against her back, doing the kata himself and forcing her body to the correct movements.

Tooru suppressed a shiver, afraid he'd move away. His breath was soft against the back of her ear and his hand was cupped over the back of hers. His voice and movements were businesslike, but it was still the most oddly sensual experience she'd ever had. She felt her cheeks heat and tried to concentrate on just moving, burying all else. She kept her eyes focused on Yuki, watching the muscles of his back work through the thin material of his night shirt. She felt her own muscles moving in tandem and wondered if he felt all over tingles like she did.

Yuki could feel her stare and tried not to let the tenseness he was feeling reflect in his movements. He could feel her coming closer and closer to matching him, almost like a prickling in the air.

Kyou felt her "click" into place, finally catching on to the correct rhythm and movement on the fourth repetition of the kata. He moved back reluctantly, wanting to keep touching her, for any reason. His skin burned where it had touched her, his thigh where it had braced hers, his hand where it had cupped hers...

He moved through the kata with Yuki and Tooru and it felt a connection with them both like an electric charge. All three of them moved as one, following him as he lead them through it start to finish. It was heady, watching the Rat and Tooru move in time to his voice. He started it again, and they followed him without question. It was like a current now, the energy flowing between them. Yuki set the pace in front, Tooru held it steady, and Kyou was the base they all worked off. There wasn't any jealousy, there wasn't any pain or worry, it was just the three of them, moving as one.

Yuki looked over his shoulder at Tooru as they finished. Her cheeks were flushed and eyes sparkling. "We did it?" She asked breathlessly.

"Un," Yuki said, his throat tight. "I think so." He was breathing heavier then the simple kata deserved. His shoulder was on fire now, he'd taken it too far but he hadn't noticed while he was doing it. He couldn't bring himself to regret it, despite the pain.

"We did." Kyou agreed. He turned away from them, he felt short of breath and his chest was tight. That had felt so good. He couldn't remember feeling so good, this was what she wanted wasn't it?

Tooru turned to him, hearing the raw emotion in his voice. "Kyou-kun," she said, panting, "Thank you for sharing that with me, _us_." She corrected. "Thank you so much."

"Whatever." Kyou said, not turning around. He couldn't look at them right now, her or the Rat. His eyes were wet, and he felt stupid getting so wrought up over a simple exercise. He could still feel her pressed to him.

"Kyou-kun, I want to hug you." Tooru blurted. Kyou turned to look at her in shock. "I know I can't, but something, that is.. there's something I want to try... can I?"

"What?" Kyou stammered. "You can't-"

"Please?" Tooru said stepping forward. She had to do this now, while she was still charged up. She'd lose her nerve otherwise.

"What do you want to do?" Kyou said, retreating.

"Turn around." Tooru said and he turned back, his ears and cheeks burning and his skin itching with anticipation. He flinched when he felt her arms wrap loosely around his stomach, lifting his arms in shock. His too short shirt came up, exposing his stomach and he shuddered when he felt her skin against his. She pressed her forehead between his shoulder blades and then gently eased in so that she was leaning against his back. "I thought, if it's not the chest, I could do this." She wrapped her arms tighter around his waist, squeezing. Kyou arched like a cat rubbed the wrong way, and then slowly relaxed into the strange backwards embrace. His arms relaxed, falling until he rested his hands on her arms where her hands clasped each other. His breathing slowed, head drooped and he gave her wrist a stroke with a thumb. She shivered at the strange sensation and drew back. She tugged at his shirt till he turned his red-stained face towards her. "Thank you for letting me do that." Tooru whispered.

She turned, "Now Yuki-kun." She said holding out her arms.

"Me, but-" Yuki started. He'd watched her embrace the cat with mixed feelings. He was still feeling the euphoria of the joint exercise, a feeling similar to when they'd been in the hot spring. He wanted to touch Tooru badly, any kind of touch, a stroke of her cheek, brushing their hands together, tug at her hair. He'd been tempted to mimic her hug while she was till holding Kyou, pressing up to her and sandwiching her in the middle and he would have if it wouldn't have transformed him. Now she wanted him too, but he didn't want to be second. He shook his head. "Let me." He said firmly.

"But-" Tooru's arms drooped a little. Yuki stepped forward before she could say more, he draped his arms around her neck, and rested his cheek against the top of her head. She hadn't realized he'd gotten so tall. She could feel his breath against her neck and rested her forehead on his shoulder. He was carefully keeping their chests from touching, only letting his shoulders and head lean against her. Her eyes fluttered shut. She could feel keenly the distance between her and Yuki, but she should still feel the warmth of his body pouring into her. Her hands clutched at the hem of his shirt before resting on his hips. His hand was on her back, under her hair, massaging her through her shirt.

Kyou wondered if Tooru had held him that long. It hadn't felt that long...

"Thank you." Tooru whispered and drew back. She looked up at the mouse, surprised to see his eyes were moist. "Yuki-kun?"

Yuki turned away, he'd never been that close to anyone and she was thanking _him_?

"We should make the bed." He said, distracting himself with the first thing he saw. He wanted to kiss her.

Kyou sniffed at the air. "Somethings cooking." He muttered. "Everyone else must be up by now." He wanted to grab her up and see if her skin felt as soft as he thought it would.

Tooru looked at the clock. "It's late! The restaurant will be open soon." She felt dizzy. She wanted, she didn't know what she wanted, but she _wanted._

"Get dressed." Kyou said, pulling apart the tangle of coverlet and bedding so he could make the bed. Was it really okay for him to think of her that way? Could he stand knowing the Rat probably felt the same? "We're going shopping today. You're picking out pajamas for the Rat, and we need some duffel bags."

Tooru nodded and gathered up one of her new outfits. "And Yuki-kun is going to the doctors?"

Yuki nodded, massaging his shoulder. "Yes, a little later." He needed to take his medicine, but he didn't want to take it on an empty stomach. He could see the attraction that drugs had to people, he'd felt like he could do or say anything last night. Now he just felt like an ass. He didn't want a repeat of that, especially with what had just happened. He might grab hold of her and refuse to let go, kiss at her throat and bury his head on her shoulder. "I have to find out where Kitagawa's office is."

Tooru nodded and went to one of the corners. "I'm going to change," She said and both Yuki and Kyou turned to making the bed. The atmosphere felt like it was crackling with possibilities and confusion. Yuki and Kyou couldn't even look at each other.

Kyou could still feel where she'd been pressed into his back, and he could still see her clinging to Yuki every time he closed his eyes. Yuki could still smell her and feel her breath the hollow of his throat. He

couldn't shake the vision of her awkwardly hugging Kyou and holding him until he relaxed in her grip.

"I'm done." Tooru said, flipping her hair out and smiling. "I'll go brush my teeth while Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun dress."

"What are we doing?" Yuki muttered as the door closed.

"Hell if I know." Kyou said with feeling. He smoothed the blankets over the bed. "But right now, I'm going to get dressed."

::0::0::

"That's a pretty long haul." Ginta said, scratching the edge of his mouth. "I don't know if I'd recommend walking it. Not with the way you're hurting."

Yuki frowned, he hated how it was so obvious. He'd taken his pills almost an hour ago, and he still moved stiff enough for a near stranger to know. "Is there a bus...?" He put his breakfast dishes in the sink. This would put a snag in their plans if he couldn't walk to Kitagawa's office.

"I can drive him." Hiroki said walking in. "His office opens around eleven doesn't it?"

"That's too much to ask." Yuki said, he glanced at Tooru and Kyou trailing behind him. They glanced at each other and back at him, Tooru clasped her hands in worry. "It's too busy here for Hiroki-san to leave."

"Don't worry about it. Power was restored to more of the city this morning, so things should slow down some. If I take you right when he opens it'll be between the breakfast and lunch rush. Plus," he patted Tooru's head. "Now that we've got extra help in the kitchen they should be able to do without me for a while, right Boss?" Hiroki grinned at Ginta.

"Should be fine. It's not that far by car." Ginta nodded. "You don't mind helping out?" He looked at Tooru.

"No! Not at all!" Tooru said eagerly. "Oh, but Kyou-kun and I were supposed to go shopping."

"It's alright." Kyou shrugged, "I'll help out around here and we can all go when the Rat gets back." He glanced at Yuki.

"I won't be long." Yuki nodded. "It's just a checkup."

Mai smiled. "Breakfast will probably be the busiest meal, since the power just came up. Having all of you here to help is a blessing!"

"I hope it's slower then yesterday." Kazuya sighed. "My legs are killing me. I'll never be able to kick my winning lightening soccer kick again!"

"Did that move ever work in the first place?" Hiroki teased.

"Hey!"

"Don't forget to pick up the laundry." Mai reminded him, peeked out the kitchen door at the front window. "We've got people waiting outside."

"I won't." Kazuya sighed. "I can't wait for things to get back to normal."

"Quit complaining." Ginta said mussing his hair. "At least you don't have school."

"What's the fun in that if I can't play soccer." Kazuya said pushing him off.

"What are you grinning at?" Kyou whispered to Tooru. She was smiling like a fool.

"It's nice to be around a family again." Tooru whispered back.

Ginta clapped his hands. "Alright. Grill's on, rice is ready... I'm going to open the doors. Everybody ready?"

"Yes!" Tooru chorused along with Mai, Kazuya and Hiroki. Kyou and Yuki glanced at each other.

"Would you like my help out front again, Mai-san?" Yuki asked as Ginta went to open the door.

"That would be lovely." Mai smiled.

"I'll hang around and wait for dishes." Kyou shrugged. "I guess."

::0::0::

Tooru glanced at the door, her knife stilling.

"Got those carrots ready?" Ginta asked.

"Yes!" Tooru trotted over and handed him the plate of vegetables. "What does Ginta-san need next?"

"More onigiri." He nodded at the rice cooker. He watched Tooru bounce over. "You're good at this, you know. You ever work at a restaurant before?"

"No, but I've always cooked. For Mother and I, and for Yuki-kun, Kyou-kun and Shigure-san." Tooru frowned that was the first time she mentioned Shigure's name in months. She wondered how he was doing, and if he'd been eating well. She hadn't even thought about him when she left... he'd probably eaten nothing but takeout since she'd been gone. And it must be lonely in that house all alone...

"Mmmm..." Ginta watched her with a calculating eye. She looked like she was about to cry all of the sudden. "Well, you'll have no problem finding work in a kitchen if you want it."

"Really?" Tooru looked up, "I used to clean, I never thought of applying at a restaurant." She wondered what paid more... or if she could manage both. If she worked at a restaurant after school for a few hours she could probably find someplace that needed night people to clean. She wondered what Yuki planned to get a job doing, he was so smart. He could do just about anything, but all the jobs she could think of seemed beneath him.

The back door opened and Tooru looked up hopefully. Kazuya waved cheerily.

"I have your laundry!"

"Thank you, Kazuya-kun!" Tooru tried not to let her disappointment show as she moved around the counter to take the clothes.

"I'll bring 'em upstairs, you're busy." Kyou said from behind her, drying his hands on his apron. Tooru nodded and let him.

Tooru glanced out the door Kazuya still stood in.

"He'll be back when he gets back." Kyou said irritably. "Quit worrying."

Tooru nodded reluctantly. "But, doesn't Kyou-kun think it's taking a very long time?"

"He said he had to get x-rays and stuff." Kyou shrugged, his arms full of laundry. "It takes time."

"I need those onigiri." Ginta reminded Tooru and she hurried back to her station. He looked at Kazuya watching them. "Why don't you grab your lunch while you've got the chance?"

"Okay, Pop." Kazuya shrugged and made himself up a quick plate and exited out into the restaurant.

Kyou resisted the urge to stomp up the stairs. He was worried about the rat too. It had already been two hours, how long did it take to get x-rays? It probably wouldn't take this long unless there was something wrong with him. What if he was really hurt or disabled permanently? Like Yuki had said, they couldn't afford that. What would they do?

He put the bundle of laundry on the bed and headed back downstairs. What if the rat couldn't work? He He cursed, tired of worrying about Yuki. He'd been hating the rat for years, he didn't know what to make of the new relationship building between the them now. Things were so confused. He stood on the steps and watched Tooru forming more onigiri. He wanted to make her happy. But she said the only way to be happy was to have both of them. That meant he had to worry about the rat too, didn't it? His goal had always been to beat Yuki, at something, anything. Now they were supposed to, what? Work together?

Was he supposed to just accept seeing Tooru and the Rat together too? His hand curled into a fist. All Yuki had done was hug her this morning and Kyou had felt like he was turned inside out. But it hadn't been so bad, when it had been the three of them under the blankets or back up the mountain sitting in the dark. He didn't even know what to call their relationship, a family? Was Tooru now his girlfriend? He'd told her that he loved her, and she said the same... but she'd said the same to Yuki. What were they? He just knew that every day, every little movement of hers just made him want to get closer and closer. It was getting harder to keep boundaries between them.

Tooru looked up and saw him watching her from the steps. She smiled and waved before before being distracted by a request from Ginta. He walked over to the sink, the Rat would be back soon and then they'd figure out what they were doing.

"Is something wrong, Kyou-kun?" Tooru asked, setting aside her rice and walking over. "Maybe Kyou-kun should eat lunch." She looked up at him and put her hand on his arm, stroking it gently.

"I'm fine." Kyou insisted. "Make your onigiri." Was it just his imagination? Was she standing closer to him then she used to? She was definitely touching him more then she used to. The skin on his arm was prickling.

Tooru blinked, he sounded upset. "Kyou-kun?" She leaned in a little closer.

"I'm fine." He said stepping back.

"I need more cabbage!" Ginta snapped banging his spatulas against the grill.

"I have some cut!" Tooru said, running over to put it in reach. "Sorry Ginta-san!" She glanced back at Kyou, but he had his arms buried in the sink and was focused on scrubbing plates.

"Oof!" Mai said pushing her way into the kitchen. "I thought lunch would be slower today, but it's almost as bad as yesterday! More orders!" She pushed them down on the spike and picked up another waiting platter. She looked apologetically at Tooru and Kyou. "Once Kazuya's done with lunch one of you should eat, I'm sorry for making you wait."

"No, no!" Tooru hurried to assure her. "It's fine. I want to wait for Yuki-kun."

"We don't know when he's going to get back." Kyou said irritably from the sink. "You eat when Kazuya's done."

"But-" Tooru started.

The back door opened, Hiroki held it open for Yuki. The teen had dark circles under his eyes and was wan and sweating. His arm was in a sling.

"Yuki-kun!" Tooru said, stripping off her gloves and running over to the door.

"I'm okay." Yuki said quickly. "I just need to take my pills." He ungracefully slumped into a seat on the stairs.

Kyou dried his hands. "I'll get 'em. Oi, you." He looked at Tooru. "Get him something to eat with it." He slid past Yuki and raced up the stairs two at a time. This is what he didn't like, that he felt this pit of fear and disquiet seeing the rat like this. Wasn't this what he wanted all along? To see the rat weak? Then why was he so scared and pissed off?

"Yes!" Tooru grabbed a pair of gloves and a plate.

"How about some of Tooru-chan's onigiri to start with?" Mai suggested, hefting a platter of food. "I've got to take this order out, but I'll make you whatever you want when I get back."

Tooru nodded and put three onigiri on a plate and ran back over, kneeling in front of him. "Here." She watched him take one with a shaky hand. "Yuki-kun should have taken his medicine sooner." She scolded, her throat thick with concern.

"I couldn't." Yuki said, swallowing a mouthful of onigiri. "I had to wait until after the exam because the medicine might have masked symptoms... and then I needed to eat something first."

"Well, now you're eating, so take your stupid medicine, stupid." Kyou said from behind him. He dropped Yuki's pill bottle on his plate. "Water?" He said to Tooru.

"Oh, yes." Tooru ran to get a glass.

Mai came back into the kitchen. "Alright, now that Hiroki is back why don't you three have your lunch? You don't mind waiting, do you Hiro?"

"I ate while the kid was at Kitagawa's." Hiroki said. "So I'm good." He glanced at the huddle on the stairs and then at Mai. "You all go ahead into the restaurant."

"Can you get up?" Kyou asked Yuki.

"Un." Yuki nodded, handing Tooru his glass and pushed himself up using the wall to support himself. He wavered a little, but managed to push himself straight.

"What do you want for lunch?" Mai asked.

"There is udon ready." Tooru said.

Yuki concentrated on not swaying in place and nodded.

"Whatever." Kyou shrugged. "Let's go sit down before the Rat falls over."

"Here, carry out some tea for yourself." Mai handed Tooru a tray with some cups and a teapot. Tooru accepted it, thinking that a nice cup of tea would go a long way to calm them all. Her heart was thumping.

"I was worried about Yuki-kun." She said pouring tea for the three of them after they found a booth. "He seemed to take a very long time at the doctors." She glanced at the sling.

"Dr. Kitagawa did a lot of tests." Yuki took a sip of his tea. He liked Tooru's tea better. "It felt like it took a long time to get through them all."

"So?" Kyou said irritably. "What did the tests say?"

Tooru leaned forward.

"I'm fine." Yuki said. "We don't have the results of all of them yet, but I'm fine."

"You didn't look "fine" when you came in." Kyou said glancing at Tooru and then quirking an eyebrow at Yuki. Was it something she shouldn't know about? It was this kind of strange communication with the other boy that had him all confused. How was he supposed to properly hate the rat when they had to work together to keep Tooru happy?

Yuki shook his head. "I'm just tired." He said irritably. "But I'll be _fine_. Kitagawa said I need time to heal. There is nothing broken, and my back is only strained but the shoulder is sprained. The bones in my shoulder are bruised, which is why it hurts so much." He fingered the sling he was wearing. "Kitagawa said I should keep it immobilized to help it heal." He didn't want to tell them that he'd probably damaged it further this morning over-exercising it. Kitagawa had banned him from doing any more katas for the next two weeks.

"For how long?"

"Kitagawa said the bruise will probably continue to hurt for another six to eight weeks." Yuki sighed. He'd thought that knowing when it would stop would make the pain easier to bear. But knowing the pain would continue for so long just made him tired. "My back will heal quicker, as long as I don't strain it. I only have to wear this for a week." He looked down at the sling. "He gave me a book on how to exercise it after that. So as long as I take care of it, I should be fine."

"What about your back?"

"Two weeks and I should have most of my movement back. I just need to keep stretching and doing gentle exercises." Yuki said.

"If everything is so fine, why do you hurt so much?" Kyou demanded. "Why's he got you on that medicine that makes you all weird?"

Yuki flushed, it was bad enough that he'd babbled all sorts of things to Tooru last night. He'd misjudged and taken his medicine just before eating this morning and halfway through breakfast had become fascinated by Tooru's hair. He'd tugged her ribbon out watched it fall around her shoulders. It seemed every time he got the least bit uninhibited he started touching her.

"I should only have to take that for a few more days." Yuki said. "It's because everything is still swollen that everything hurts so much right now. When the swelling goes down I won't need it. After that I can just take over the counter medicine."

Tooru put her hand over her heart. "I'm so glad Yuki-kun will be okay!"

"But not for a while." Yuki rubbed his forehead. How was he going to travel feeling like this? Who would hire a part-time teenager who couldn't lift, bend or even stand for long periods?

"Here you go!" Mai said, coming up with bowls for each of them. "Hiroki tells me you got good results at Kitagawa's. That's good news!"

"Yes, thank you." Yuki nodded. "Though, it will still be some time before I'm fully recovered."

"But you will recover." Mai said, "That's the important thing to remember. You look exhausted, after lunch I think you should have a lay down."

Yuki shook his head. "We'd planned to go shopping."

"I think Yuki-kun should rest too." Tooru said. "Kyou-kun and I can go..." She didn't want to, she wanted to stay here with him.

"You're tired too." Kyou said. She'd been running all over the kitchen since the Rat'd been gone. "You both should rest." She wasn't as bad off as Yuki was, but she still wasn't strong. "You shouldn't be pushing yourself."

"Surely your shopping can wait until tomorrow." Mai said firmly.

"I... I suppose I could do the mending while Yuki rests." Tooru said timidly. "If Ginta-san and Hiroki-san don't need help in the kitchen." Now that she was sitting down, she was exhausted. She hated being this weak.

"The lunch rush is dying down, and we've managed for quite some time with just the four of us." Mai said, amused.

"Fine." Kyou said. "We'll go tomorrow." He could have gone himself, but he didn't want to go alone.

"I'll keep helping in the kitchen." He ate a mouthful of udon.

"We can handle it, you should rest too. Don't worry about it now." She waved her hand before any of them could speak. "Just eat your lunch." She commanded and bustled off back into the kitchen.

Tooru watched Yuki fight his way through his bowl of udon. He looked like he was going to fall asleep right at the table. She glanced at Kyou, glad he was staying. Seeing Yuki this debilitated had her spooked, and she wanted nothing more then to climb under a blanket with both of them. There wasn't anywhere else that she felt safe.

"Eat your lunch." Kyou said, already halfway through his.

Yuki finished his meal and sat sipping his tea and nodding at the table. The doctor had drawn blood, and the combination of stress, heavy medication and pain had taken it's toll. His mind wasn't much more then a gray blank slate. He just wanted to lay his head on Tooru's shoulder and let her cosset him for a while.

Tooru ate her lunch quickly, wanting to get Yuki up to bed. He weaved and wobbled up the stairs. Tooru steered him into Keiko's room with Kyou trailing afterwards. She sat him on the bed. "Should Yuki-kun take off the sling before he sleeps?"

"Yes." Yuki blinked up at her, not used to seeing her from this angle. He fumbled at the buckles one handed.

"Let me." Tooru said softly and he felt her quick fingers over them. He leaned forward a little so his forehead rested on her shoulder.

"Yuki-kun?" Tooru whispered.

"Sorry." He murmured, not moving, "Just let me for a minute please." He'd been so scared, poked, prodded, and convinced that he was going to be told he was going to be like this forever. How would he have been able to face her?

Tooru felt herself tear up, he sounded so lost and afraid. Her hand came up to stroke his hair."Yuki-kun should lay down." She worked with her free hand to get his sling off and pushed him back a little. "He'll feel better when he's slept."

Yuki his his face in his hair, nodding and slumping back. He groaned when his shoulder protested being laid on, shifting so that he was laying on his stomach. He buried his face in the pillow and let the world disappear for a while.

Tooru slumped to the floor next to the bed. She hid her face in her hands. She was determined not to cry.

"Oi," Kyou dropped a blanket over her shoulders, "You're supposed to be resting too." He sat down next to her on the floor.

"Kyou-kun!" Tooru said turned to him. She buried her face in his shoulder. He slung an arm over her shoulder and arranged the blanket over the both of them.

He threaded his hand through her hair, holding her close and letting her cry. He could do this. He rested his head against hers and held her until she fell asleep. Who cared if she was crying for the Rat, he just wanted her to stop.

::0::0::

"Is she alright?" Yuki asked, waking a few hours later. Tooru was clinging to the Cat, arms wrapped around his neck and face nestled in his neck.

Kyou craned his head up to look at Yuki. "Yeah, you freaked her out Nezumi."

"The medication-" Yuki began guiltily.

"Whatever." Kyou cut him off. He looked away. "You're really going to be okay?"

"Yes, just not right away." He dangled his legs over the side of the bed. "Kitagawa said I shouldn't travel, not for at least a week..."

"What?" Kyou looked up at him. "_A week?_"

"I can if we have to." Yuki said quickly.

"What are we going to do here for a week? We can't stay here!" Kyou whispered angrily.

"Where did you think we were going to go?" Yuki said, fighting his way back into his sling.

"We decided, we were going to go somewhere outside of Tokyo. Get an apartment, find jobs, get her back into school!" Kyou hissed.

"What apartment? How much will it cost us? Where exactly?" Yuki shot rapid-fire. "We can't just go off half cocked..." He stood up and fumbled through their packages. He pulled out the rental listings they'd picked up yesterday. "Did you even read how much it's going to cost us just to get into an apartment?" He opened up the listings to a page of legalese. "Expect to pay the following fees," he read, "_First month's rent,_" Yuki threw the words at Kyou like an attack, "Damage deposit_, usually equal to two to three months rent_, key money-"

"What's that?" Kyou asked, bewildered.

"A gift to the landlord." Yuki gave a grimace that could almost pass for a smile, "Non-refundable, and probably about a month or two of rent. We might get lucky and find one that doesn't require it, but if we use a real estate agent, we have to pay them too, almost as much!"

"Do we have enough?" Kyou's head was swimming.

"Barely enough to get us in." Yuki slumped into the desk chair. "Probably not enough for the month after that. If we go into Tokyo and have to stay in a hotel while we look and maybe not enough at all. That's not even including costs for school, furnishings-"

"So what are we going to do?" Kyou interrupted.

Yuki looked at Kyou. "I don't know." He shook his head. "I just- I don't know."

::0::0::

"You look much better!" Mai said to Tooru. "Did you have a nice nap?"

"Yes!" Tooru smiled. "But I slept longer then I meant to, I didn't get any of my mending done."

Mai shrugged, "It can wait another day." She picked up a tray of food. "It's a little early but if you want dinner, just tell Ginta what you want."

"It's starting to get busy again." Kyou observed. There was a pile of dishes waiting by the sink and the delivery boxes were gone again.

"We'd like to help." Tooru said eagerly. "We're all rested now." She looked at Yuki and Kyou, they'd been strange ever since she woke up. They were quiet and reserved, and she didn't know what was wrong. They nodded in agreement, but didn't say anything.

"We're not going to say no." Mai smiled. "Did you want dinner first?"

"Later, I think." Tooru said glancing at Kyou and Yuki. It felt like they'd just eaten.

"Alright then, why don't you ask Hiroki what he needs help with?" Mai pushed her way out the door. She looked at Kyou, "There are lots of tables to clear. Yuki-kun, if you wouldn't mind, make some rounds of the tables?"

"Of course, Mai-san." Yuki nodded. It would be a little harder tonight to take orders, with his arm in a sling, but he thought he could manage. Anything was better than sitting and moping hopelessly like he had done for the last hour.

They set to work, glad for the distraction. It was as busy, if not busier then the night before. Tooru traded her time between the kitchen and the restaurant proper, helping Mai serve tea, food and Yuki take orders.

"Here." Kazuya handed Kyou a strip of fabric. "It'll help keep the sweat out of your eyes." He emptied a bin of plates into the neighboring sink and started sorting them by size.

Kyou tied the head band on. "I thought you said it'd be slower tonight. Isn't the power back on?"

"The power's back on, but that's not why we're busy tonight." Kazuya grinned starting to scrub. "Haven't you noticed? There are a lot less deliveries tonight."

"Yeah, so?" Kyou shrugged, grabbing a plate and starting to scrub.

"Nothing much ever happens around here." Kazuya shrugged. "I bet everyone's heard about you guys riding out the storm up the mountain by now. They wanna see what you look like."

Kyou stopped scrubbing. "What?"

"Yeah, you guys are like, celebrities." The other boy shrugged. "I didn't get a single delivery today where people didn't already know about you and want to know what you're like." He paused and looked up from the plate he was washing. "Hey, I wanted to ask. Did you used to come up to town? Like, not with the others?"

"Why?" Kyou asked, fear beginning to ball in the pit of his stomach.

"I was talking to Yamada-san and he said he remembered there used to be a guy who came up with his son that used to train around here for like martial arts or something. He had red hair too. The son, I mean."

"Yamada?" Kyou wracked his brain, he and Shishou had spent so little time in town. He didn't remember anyone named Yamada.

"Yeah, he's the park ranger for the national areas of the mountain."

"I don't know him." Kyou said, but now a hazy recollection of a fat man with a balding head swam through his mind. "I... I'm gonna go clear some more tables." He grabbed a bin. He had to talk to the Rat. He glanced around the kitchen. Tooru had to be out on the restaurant floor.

::0::0::

Yuki checked the clock as he sat in a chair by the podium. He couldn't stand for too long, he was trying to pace himself. It was nearly time for him to take his medicine. It would be a good time for Tooru, Kyou and he to eat dinner. He smiled watching Tooru carefully pouring tea for a table full of old ladies. She really fit in here, she was the only person he knew who glowed the harder she worked.

The bell above the door jangled and Yuki stood turning towards the incoming customer. "Good evening." He greeted. "Are you dining alone tonight?"

The woman seemed startled by his presence, glancing behind her as if to check to see if she'd walked in the right door. She was square shaped and broad shouldered giving the impression of size without being fat. "Yes. Just me." She said finally. She pushed back a strand of wiry, kinky hair.

"Do you need a menu?" Yuki asked, tucking the order pad into his sling, a trick he'd picked up early in the night.

"No, thanks." She said wryly and followed him back to a table.

"Honda-san will be over in a moment with tea." He said holding her chair out. "Do you know what you'd like to order?"

"I think so..." The woman said slowly, studying him carefully. "I haven't seen you here before..." She said leadingly.

"Mai-san has been kind enough to let us stay here temporarily. We were displaced because of the storm." Yuki said. This wasn't the first time he'd gotten this question. Usually that was enough to satisfy the curiosity of the guests.

"Mmm... So you're staying here, above the restaurant? Are you a friend of Kazuya? How long do you think you'll stay?"

Yuki was a little uncomfortable with how closely she was studying him."Kazuya-kun and I have played soccer together." He said circumspectly. He pulled out the order pad and laid it on the table. "Your order?" He clicked the pen to get the nib out.

"Tea?" Tooru asked, coming up behind him.

The woman turned her gaze to Tooru. She looked her over head to toe. Tooru glanced at Yuki and shifted from foot to foot. "Yes, thank you." She said finally.

Tooru set down a cup and started to pour. "Would you like some water too?"

"No, thank you. Tea is fine-" She said.

"Rat, I gotta talk to you." Kyou said, his bin banging against his leg.

"Kyou-kun?" Tooru said, hearing the alarm in his voice.

"You too." Kyou said. "Kazuya says everyone's here to gawk at us."

"What?" Yuki blinked.

"Yeah, and that someone named Yamada remembered Shishou and I coming up here." Kyou said quickly.

"Someone recognized you?" Yuki went white. They'd joked about it, but never thought it would actually happen.

"He said he remembered a red-headed kid. Kazuya asked if it was me."

Tooru looked back and forth between Kyou and Yuki. What did this mean? She forgot the teapot in her hand was hot and went to brace the bottom with her hand automatically. "AH!" She dropped the pot and the scalding tea splashed up her legs.

"Honda-san?!" Yuki said.

"Hey!" Kyou said, dropping his bin.

"Sit down!" The woman stood up and pushed Tooru into a chair. "Is your hand burned?"

"N-no." Tooru said massaging her reddened palm. It stung, but she hadn't held the pot long enough to burn.

The woman kneeled on the floor, not seeming to notice that she was in the puddle left by the tea. "We've got to get your shoes and socks off, that tea was hot enough to scald." She lifted up Tooru's foot and quickly stripped off. Kyou bent down to help her, taking Tooru's other leg. Her leg was splotchy red where the hot liquid had seeped into her tall socks and had been held against the skin.

"Excuse me." The woman said to the table next to them, grabbing a glass of ice water from in front of another guest. She tucked a piece of her unruly hair behind an ear. She stuck a cloth napkin off the table into the water and gently wiped down Tooru's legs. "Hold this." She said thrusting the glass into Tooru's hand. "It will make your hand feel better."

"What's going on?" Mai bustled up. "Is everyone okay? Keiko!"

The woman stood, brushing at her now damp knees. "Hi, Ma. Every thing's fine, we just had a little start. Your new helper here dropped a teapot."

"Tooru-chan, are you alright? Were you burned?" Mai said immediately.

"I'm fine." Tooru said, her cheeks burning. The whole restaurant was looking at her.

"Don't worry about it." Keiko said."I must've done that a million times when I still helped out around here."

"Did you come for dinner Keiko?" Mai asked. "You should have called-"

"I heard about your guests." Keiko glanced at Tooru and the others. "I just wanted to see what was up."

"See," Kyou hissed to Yuki, "Everyone knows we're here. They're all talking about it, the whole town."

"They sure are." Keiko said, sounding amused. "I had a bunch of people stopping by to ask who the cute boys were in Ma's restaurant."

Yuki's mind was racing, he wondered what the first train out of this town was and how far away it could get them.

"Yuki-kun?" Tooru said. "Do you need to take your medicine?" She didn't like how pale he was, or the far away look in his eyes.

"It's about time for that isn't it?" Mai said looking at the clock. "You all sit down for your dinner. Keiko, do you want to eat with them?"

"Sure, Ma." Keiko looked them over. "Let's grab a bigger booth."

Tooru and Kyou looked at Yuki and he nodded. There wasn't much choice at this point.

::0::0::

"So, you're runaways?" Keiko said settling in.

Yuki froze in the act of sitting down, half in and half out of his seat. Tooru gasped and Kyou stood up awkwardly in the middle of the booth.

"Oh, like it was a big secret. Sit down." Keiko smiled at her mother as she walked up to the table with tea. "Thanks Ma."

"I brought your pills from the kitchen." Mai said, setting the bottle in front of Yuki. "Dinner will be out in a moment. I hope grilled fish is good with everyone. It's Keiko's favorite."

Yuki settled into his seat, glancing at Kyou and Tooru. "That's fine, Mai-san. Thank you very much."

"Is it really okay if we all eat now?" Tooru asked. "It's not too busy?"

"Don't worry about it." Mai dimpled. "Just enjoy your dinner."

Keiko waited for her mother to leave before looking back at Yuki, Kyou and Tooru. "So, what's your story?"

Yuki, Tooru and Kyou traded glances, not speaking. They'd never talked about what they'd tell people, never made up a cover story. They certainly couldn't tell the truth.

"Did Ma tell you anything about me?" Keiko said, taking a sip of her tea.

"Only that Keiko-san was her daughter, and was married." Tooru said. "Mai-san let me borrow Keiko-san's clothes." She paused. "Thank you."

"Yes, I heard that you guys came in looking pretty hard luck." Keiko said. "I'm a teacher at the local high school. I know that none of you are from around here. So," she laid her hands flat on the table. "Tell me what your story is or why I shouldn't call the authorities to see who might be looking for you."

"It's nobody's business but our own." Yuki said flatly.

"You're currently living in the same house as my parents and little brother. It's my business." Keiko said, matching his tone and stare. "I know it can't be good, whatever it is. No one goes up the mountain this time of year unless what they're leaving behind is worse." She looked around at them, at their closed and shuttered faces. "I might even be able to help."

"That's very kind of Keiko-san." Tooru said.

"If you're so worried," Kyou said, "Tell us somewhere else to go."

"We can understand Keiko-san's concern." Yuki said slowly. "But, we aren't a danger to anyone. What we left behind... is something that only concerns us."

"Was someone hurting you?" Keiko asked. "Who's looking for you? Did you do something wrong?"

"Its... a family matter."Yuki said."We had to leave, we don't want to be found. We didn't do anything wrong."

"We just want to be together." Tooru said. "We-"

Yuki put a hand over hers, not wanting her to say too much and knowing that there was too much information available about them already.

"We'll leave, Keiko-san. You don't have to be concerned about us."

"Leave? You're in no condition." Mai said firmly. She set the tray she was carrying down on the table. She set their meal out, a grilled fish in front of each of them and side dishes to share. "Kitagawa said you shouldn't travel for a week at least." She said to Yuki.

"He told you-" Yuki started angrily. There were rules about what doctors could say to others. Kitagawa had broken them.

"And you two aren't healthy either." Mai crossed her arms looking at Tooru. "You're all suffering from the effects of _starvation._" She nodded at Tooru, "You're so skinny and get exhausted from just a little effort. Both of you." She said pinning Kyou with a look before he could even think of protesting. "Let us take care of you."

"Ma," Keiko started. "You don't know anything about them."

Mai held up a hand. "They're _children. _Hurt children." She shook her head. "I don't need to know anything else. Besides, they've been nothing but helpful. Eat your dinners, we'll talk more when the restaurant is closed." She stomped off back to the kitchen.

Keiko buried her hands in her hair. "_Maa.._"

"I understand why Keiko-san is concerned." Tooru said. "Mai-san and Ginta-san are her precious parents who raised her. She just wants to help and protect them." She snapped apart her chopsticks and started to eat obediently.

Keiko turned to look at her. "If you understand that, can't you tell me a little something to make me feel more comfortable?"

"What could we say that would help make Keiko-san feel comfortable?" Yuki asked. "We don't want to be a burden to her parents, we don't want to be a burden to anyone. But we've struggled through a lot to stay together." He looked at Tooru and then back at Keiko. "You understand that we are also uncomfortable?"

"We just want to be left alone." Kyou said shortly. "If we could leave, we would."

Keiko sighed. "Ma's right, you all need to eat. We'll talk about it later."

"Yuki-kun needs to take his medicine." Tooru reminded.

"After I've eaten." Yuki promised. He needed a clear head. He broke apart his chopsticks and glanced at Keiko. "We wish we could set Keiko-san's mind at ease."

"We don't have any reason to hurt your parents." Kyou said unexpectedly, his meal still untouched. "They've been nice to us. I think they're kind of nuts."

"You're right about that." Keiko laughed. "Ma is definitely not quite right."

::0::0::

"What do we do?" Kyou said pushing the door to Keiko's room open. "Everyone in town knows we're here, and might even know who we are. That Keiko might call the cops-"

"Don't get hysterical!" Yuki said pushing past him.

Tooru followed quickly watching the two argue. They'd barely been able to choke down their dinners past their worry. Afterwards, when they'd returned to the kitchen, Mai had sent them upstairs. The dinner rush was over, she said, and Keiko could help them with the last of the customers. It was obvious they were trying to get them out of the way.

"Pack up everything." Yuki said flatly. "We've got to be ready to leave."

"But Yuki-kun-" Tooru said, her heart throbbing in fear. She carried her shoes and still wet socks in her hand.

"It'll be fine. We just have to get to the next town." Kyou assured her. He started going through the bags, consolidating them together and putting aside empty ones to put their clothes in.

Yuki glanced at Kyou, knowing it was a lie. They were putting themselves into a situation as bad or worse then living on the mountain.

"We should be prepared to leave, but-" Yuki said. "I think we should tell Mai why we're hiding."

"We can't do that!" Kyou said, standing. "You know that!"

"Honda-san," Yuki said, not answering him. "We left some of our things in Kazuya's room. Do you mind getting them?"

Tooru looked back and forth between Yuki and Kyou. She wasn't the smartest person in the world, but she knew when someone was trying to get rid of her. Yuki wanted to say something he didn't want her to hear. For a moment she thought about protesting, then she stroked her bracelet and remembered their promise. She trusted them, she'd promised her mother she'd be the kind of person who trusted in people. He had to have a reason for not wanting her to know what he was going to say. "Okay." She whispered and fled the room.

Yuki didn't waste any time. "I know we can't tell them everything, but think about what our situation." He reminded Kyou of all the facts. They didn't have enough money to live on, and no assurances that they'd be able to find work, he was injured...

"I know all that, but what choice do we have?" Kyou spat.

"But not only that, what happens if... if the worst happens?"

Kyou looked at Yuki, "The worst? You mean-"

"What would happen if we were found by the family." Yuki asked.

"You'd be dragged back to the main house, probably me too." Kyou said, chilled. He'd probably be locked up, the fate that waited all the cats. It was supposed to happen after graduation, but having run away twice now he couldn't imagine Akito taking the chance he'd run away again. "And she'd... her memories..." He couldn't even finish it.

"And what would happen to her after that?" Yuki asked.

"After?" Kyou repeated, he hadn't thought of past that. His face darkened. "They'd throw her away."

"If that... if that happened here," Yuki said, not even wanting to think about it, but having to, for her sake, "Mai-san and Ginta-san would take care of her. But if it was somewhere else we don't know what would happen." He sat down on the bed, looking at his sling. "And she's happy here. I know you've seen it too. She fits in here."

"But if we stay here," Kyou said, running hands through his hair, "doesn't that just mean we're giving up? That we're just waiting for them to find us?"

"I'm not giving up." Yuki insisted. "In a week I'll be able to travel. There are numbers in the back of this book, for rental agents, if we can find a place to live before we leave..." He paused, "We'll still have to find jobs, and maybe we won't be able to start school right away, but I think we can manage it if we don't have to pay for a hotel while we look."

Kyou sat down in the desk chair. "Fine. But we're still packing, just in case?"

"Yes, and we'll keep our stuff packed. Just in case." Yuki nodded.

Tooru knocked before coming in, wanting to give them time to finish their conversation.

"Honda-san," Yuki said, "We've decided to tell Mai-san about... why we left. As much as we can anyway." They'd have to make up a reason why Tooru would have been cast out other then their secret, and they certainly couldn't tell them about the risk of her memories being taken away. Who would believe that kind of thing?

"We are?" Tooru asked.

"Be prepared to leave." Kyou said from his seat by the table, "We might have to, but... the Rat needs more time to heal." He looked at her. "So do you."

"In the time we have left here, we're going to look for an apartment." Yuki held up the rental listings. "So if there is something Honda-san would like a home. Please let me know."

Tooru's heart beat fast. They were getting into dangerous waters but that was all eclipsed by one thing. "Home?" Tooru's throat got thick with tears. "If Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun are there it will be home, that's all I need."

"Stupid." Kyou said flushing. "But you've got us... so what else do you want?"

::0::0::

"Ma, really I can't believe you! How could you just take in three complete strangers?"

Yuki froze on the stairs. The restaurant was closed now, and it sounded like Keiko had restarted the conversation about them. Yuki glanced back at Kyou and gestured for him and Tooru to be quiet. Now was a good time to hear what everyone really thought. It was better to wait and listen.

"They needed help." Ginta said.

"And that girl is a little cutie." Hiroki said. "Good in the kitchen too."

Kyou and Yuki glanced at Tooru, she had her hands over her mouth and looked at them wide-eyed.

"They're just children." Mai said. "Where was I supposed to send them?"

"It's not like they're infants." Keiko's voice was exasperated. "I've got students living on their own that are their age."

Mai said. " They're no older then Kazuya. What if it was Kazuya? I _hope_ that someone would take him in if he needed help."

"Kazuya? Ma, they've got to be runaways. Someone's got to be looking for them! You should have called Matsumoto."

"Matsumoto is busy enough trying to keep people safe during the storm recovery. He and Eiji are the only full time policemen for the whole area. They don't have time to bother with this."

"Ma," The girl sighed. "What if they've done something? They have to be running for a reason, maybe they hurt someone. They could be dangerous."

"There is no way." Mai said firmly. "Those two boys dote on that girl, and that girl cherishes them. There is no way they could have hurt a fly, any of them."

"So why are they here, _camping_, now? They should be at school, at home, with their families. Safe. They've got to be involved in something bad if living up the mountain seemed like a good idea."

"Not everyone has a family." Mai said shortly.

"Whatever they're involved in," The woman said sympathetically, "Ma, if it's bad, you probably can't help them. I don't want to see your heart broken again when they use you and cast you away."

"Not worth arguing over now." Ginta said. "You saw how injured that boy is. That girl's not too stable either. Can't really get a handle on the third one," he mused. "But there's nothing keeping him here but concern for the other two, so that's a point in his favor. But they're here, and I don't expect they'll be able to go anywhere for a while. We'll just have to do what we can."

"They were a big help last night, Keiko." Hiroki said. "Girl certainly knows her way around a knife and a stove. I don't think the redhead moved from the sink all night and that is not fun work. Even the fancy one managed to help out and he has trouble just moving around."

Kyou snorted at Yuki being referred to as "the fancy one." Yuki shot him a withering look.

Tooru started to say something reassuring to them.

"Shh." Kyou said, putting a hand on her head.

"So what do you_ think_ their story is?" Keiko asked. "Any guesses?"

"Oh, it's obvious." Mai said eagerly. "I think that Tooru-chan was their servant, maybe a maid."

"Cook!" Hiroki chimed in.

"She did say she used to do all the cooking." Ginta agreed.

"And she and Yuki-"

"That's the fancy one." Hiroki interrupted.

"Fell in _love_." Mai sighed. "But Yuki must be high class, maybe even the family heir. You've heard him talk, Keiko, he's so formal! So they ran away together. Really, he's just like a prince in a fairy tale."

"Prince." Yuki muttered. He'd never escape that description it would seem. Not even when he was in rags.

"But what about the other one? Where does he fit in then?" Keiko sounded amused.

"He has the same name as the other one." Mai said as if she hadn't thought about that. "But he's kind of a rough around the edges type. Maybe..." She sounded like she was working out the problem, "he's the black sheep of the family! And he decided to help them to spite the family that spurned him."

"Hiro-kun is the sheep." Tooru commented "But he's not black."

"I don't think that's what she meant Honda-san." Yuki whispered, glancing at Kyou. He looked pissed off.

"Mmn." Ginta grunted. "I don't think so. That redhead never lets that girl out of his sight, he's always checking up on her, that ain't just some hothead thumbing his nose at prissy family. If any of them are in love, maybe it's them two. I think you're right about her maybe working for them, but I think if anyone ran for love it's cause he loves her. Maybe the other one just came along because...I dunno..."

"Nah, nah, you got it both wrong." Hiroki said. "I think maybe it's the boys that are in love. You know, a forbidden love type thing."

"What?" Mai sounded shocked.

"Yeah, yeah, and she helped them get away. It's obvious neither of them ever had a real job... I think she's kinda like their guide." Hiroki sounded like he was enjoying the idea way too much. "Kyou got all upset when Yuki complimented Tooru last night."

"Enough of this!" Kyou muttered, embarrassed. "I'm not listening to this anymore." He stomped past Yuki and Tooru into the kitchen.

"Kyou-kun!" Tooru said worriedly following him out. Yuki followed slower, his body protesting the time spent hunched in the stairwell.

"Oh!" Mai said with false cheer. "You're back!" She said nervously.

"I'm not freaking gay!" Kyou blurted

Tooru tugged on his sleeve. "Kyou-kun..." she bit her lip.

"Honda-san is not and never was our servant." Yuki said, leaning painfully against the door, his back was spasming from being hunched over so long.

"It's okay, Yuki-kun!" Tooru hastened to reassure him.

"So you're back." Keiko stepped forward, folding her arms over her ample chest. "You know we never formally introduced each other. I'm Mitsawa Keiko, Mai and Ginta's daughter, adopted." She glanced at her family. "But I'm sure someone in town already told you that."

Tooru quickly stepped forward and bowed. "I'm Honda Tooru. This is Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun." She introduced. "We're sorry to intrude."

"I was, uh, just kidding." Hiroki said, his cheeks burning."I didn't really think..."

"If Mai-san and everyone will listen," Yuki interrupted. "We'd like to tell you our story."

::0::0::

_AN: ARGH! Three days late! I wanted to update all of my stories twice in the month of November to celebrate National Novel Writing Month, but this chapter just wouldn't come together. I actually wrote two completely different versions of this chapter. Version two was actually ready by my "due date" but I wasn't happy with it and decided that it was better to keep working at it then to post something just because I felt I had to. So I scrapped it and started over. I hope this chapter was worth the wait. Because I had to re-work it, not everything I was excited about got in this chapter. In fact, I had to push most of it to the next chapter. I had to neglect a lot of things to be able to even come close to updating twice a month on everything, so I don't think I'm going to be able to maintain that. But, I'm going to try for at least once a month. Up next is Full Course._

_I don't know about anyone else, but I'm still not getting my notifications from about reviews and story alerts. It was absolutely amazing to log in and see a big block of reviews waiting for me. Thank you all so much! I've had a couple people ask if I'd email them when I have an update to one of my fanfics. I'm a total scatterbrain, so I decided to make a yahoo mailing list to send announcements on (that way I won't forget to email someone.) If you want to know when I've updated a fic, please join. Groups . Yahoo. com / group / merrows-fics / (Just remove the spaces, or I put a clickable link in my profile.) For those interested in my non-fanfiction net stories (the er...adultish ones) I will send out notifications about those ones on that mailing list too._


	23. Chapter 23

The restaurant was dim, Ginta had only left the back bank of lights on. Mai set out tea and a bowl of snacks on one large table. The Iwayas and Hiroki sat along one side and Yuki, Kyou and Tooru sat huddled together on the other. It felt, even with the tea and snacks, like a tribunal set up to decide their fate.

Yuki started when he felt a feathery touch to the back of his hand under the table. He glanced at her, but she had her head down staring at her lap. She had Kyou's hand in a death grip. He threaded his fingers through hers and let her grip him as tight. She was terrified. Kyou looked stonily at Keiko, blaming her for putting Tooru through this.

Mai smiled at them gently trying to look reassuring, she was the one who insisted their storytelling could wait until there were snacks and tea ready. She set a cup of tea in front of Tooru. The girl looked up at Mai and nodded in thanks, but didn't want to let go of Yuki or Kyou long enough to take a sip.

Ginta gave a long sigh. "No use in dragging this out. So why don't you start with your story."

Yuki used his free hand to take a sip of his tea, wetting a suddenly dry mouth. "We have to start with how we met." He began, then stopped. "No, before that... I suppose it really started with our parents." This was harder then he thought. Tooru's hand squeezed tightly against his as he laid out the bare facts of he'd come to live at Shigure's. He didn't got into much detail, never even having told Tooru much of how he'd gotten there. Just that he'd been in the care of the family head, only a few years older than he, and that the result on his health was bad. Just before his freshman year he'd been removed at doctor's orders. After a lengthy recovery, he'd insisted on going to a co-ed school and went to live with his cousin after that. He looked at Kyou.

Kyou kept his story even shorter. His mother was dead. His father disowned him. He grew up with another relative.

"Shishou-san." Tooru murmured and smiled.

Kyou shot her brief smile, it was strange but nice to hear someone else call his adoptive father by the same name he used. "Anyway," he said uncomfortable with how closely the Iwayas were watching him. "Shishou went a training journey, and I kinda skipped school for a while." He closed his eyes while he talked. "I came to live with Shigure a little after Tooru did. Akito, our family head, decided. He said I should go to their school too."

"He just decided to take you from your family and put you with a cousin?" Keiko asked. "Your Dad was okay with that?"

Kyou snorted and said flatly. "My father couldn't care less."

"Kyou-kun lived with Shishou-san." Tooru said. "Shishou-san cared for Kyou-kun very much."

"Shishou?" Keiko asked quirking an eyebrow. "Who-"

"He's..." Kyou struggled to put into words what Shishou was to him.

"Kyou-kun's Father." Tooru said simply. "And a very strong martial artist."

"I thought you said your father-" Keiko started.

"Shishou's not my "real" father, but I he took me in when I was five, after my mother died." Kyou paused. "He's a cousin, sort of."

"I think Shi-han is my mother's uncle." Yuki said, his brow furrowing. "Maybe. That would make him your great uncle. Our great uncle."

"No, I think he was my father's cousin," Kyou said. "That makes him a second cousin? How could he be your mother's uncle? He's not that old."

"Age doesn't have anything to do with it, stupid cat." Yuki said. "Uncle Naota is younger then we are."

"Who's Naota?" Kyou asked.

"Grandmother Michiru's youngest son, he lives inside." Yuki said. "He's the one with the airplanes."

"Oh, him." Kyou said. "I've only met him at New Years. Besides, he's not my uncle. Grandmother Michiru wasn't my Father's mother. Suzuka was."

"I thought-" Yuki shook his head. "Never mind."

"Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun's family is very large." Tooru said to the Iwayas.

"Yes, it sounds like it." Ginta chuckled. "So, you were living with your... um..whatever... and then your family head decided that you should live at..." He trailed off trying to remember the names that had

been dropped so far.

"That's not exactly how it happened." Yuki interrupted. "Shi-han and Kyou went away together, but then Kyou was supposed to come back for school, and didn't. Shi-han was still traveling. When Kyou did finally surface," Yuki left out the part about Kyou crashing through the roof, "it was decided that it would be better if he stayed with Shigure."

When he finished, Yuki squeezed Tooru's hand. "Does Honda-san want to explain how she got to Shigure's house, or shall I?" He asked softly. Her hands where shaking, he didn't know if she could do this.

"N-no, it's alright." Tooru said. She cleared her throat. She started off with her mother's death, and brief comment about how her father had passed years ago. Mai made a small sympathetic noise and Tooru found tears springing to her eyes. She swallowed them back and explained how she'd been living with her grandfather for a short time when he asked if she could go elsewhere while he remodeled the house. She explained how she'd found a tent on sale and decided to live in the woods.

Kyou muttered an obscenity and covered his eyes. Yuki sighed, shaking his head. He still wished that he'd been closer to her back then. That he would have noticed her and could have had the strength to help her.

"Didn't you have any friends you could live with?" Mai asked. She and Ginta exchanged worried glances.

"Oh, I couldn't ask that." Tooru shook her head. "Uo-chan lives in a one bedroom apartment with her father. And Hana-chan's family has five people. I couldn't impose that way on them."

"Hana and Uo?" Keiko asked.

"My t-two best friends." Tooru said. Big fat tears started spilling down her cheeks. She couldn't help it. "I m-m-miss them very m-m-much." She stuttered and broke down into sobs. She'd been deliberately not thinking about them. She was sure they understood why she'd left, but she hadn't even said goodbye. She hadn't thought it would be forever.

"Oi! Oi!" Kyou said scrambling for napkins. "Quit that!"

"I'm sorry!" Tooru apologized.

"It's nothing to apologize for!" Kyou scolded gently taking her hand from his and stuffing napkins into her hand and shifting so he was a little closer. "Blow your nose."

"It's alright." Yuki said lifting their joined hands and gently replacing his fingers with the cooling tea cup. "Take a sip."

Tooru blew her nose and sipped at her tea, ashamed that just a mere mention of her friends undid her so completely. She hadn't realized how much she really missed them. She rubbed roughly at her eyes with the heel of her hand.

"Stop that." Kyou muttered batting at her hands. "You'll make yourself look like a raccoon."

Yuki coughed, drawing the Iwaya's attention away from her. "So the land Honda-san put her tent up on happened to be very close to Shigure's house. We, Shigure and I, found her there one night on our way back from dinner." He explained her sudden attack of fever and how her tent had become buried in a landslide. "We invited Honda-san to say with us."

"You mean, Shigure invited her to cook and clean for him." Kyou snorted.

"It was only fair." Tooru sniffled. "Shigure-san was very generous to let me come live in his house. He gave me my own room and even that big bed. Cooking and cleaning are the only things I'm good at. I was happy to-"

"I was just kidding." Kyou interrupted.

"Now Shigure-san is all alone in that house." Tooru said softly.

"Maybe." Yuki said. "He might have moved back to the honke. He had a house there too."

"So it was the three of you and your guardian." Keiko said impatiently. "That doesn't explain how you got _here._"

"We got here because her friends found out where she was living." Kyou said. Keiko grated on his nerves.

"So?" Keiko asked, confused.

"_So_-" Kyou started, slamming his hand on the table. Tooru jumped and he bit back the rest of the angry words in his throat.

"Honda-san was only allowed to live with us as long as no one knew." Yuki said calmly. They were leaving out any mention of their curse, and this was the best they could come up with for a lie. They hoped it was close enough to the truth to get them through. "When her friends found out, it meant she had to leave."

"That seems so... arbitrary." Keiko said. "Who would make a rule like that?"

"Akito once made me stay up all night helping him paint his quarters black. Another time he and I spent the day huddled under a chair while he clutched a letter opener and he stabbed anyone who tried to take me from him. He is not a stable person." Yuki said flatly.

"Couldn't you go back to your family?" Keiko asked, turning back to Tooru. "Hadn't your grandfather finished remodeling by then?"

"Oh, yes." Tooru said. "Last year... I went back for a little bit... But Aunt was living there now too, and my cousins..." She trailed off. That day was both one of her worst memories and one of the best. The night she'd spent away from the Souma house had been lonely, and her aunt's attitude had hurt, but when Yuki and Kyou had come to take her _home_...

"Her aunt is a bit-" Kyou started, but stopped when Yuki sent him a glare.

"Honda-san's family has never been very supportive, outside of her grandfather." Yuki said diplomatically. "It came clear to us that she was not welcome, so we brought her home."

Keiko started to say something and Kyou cut her off. "They had her investigated with a private detective. They made it sound like she was easy or something for staying with us."

Tooru's face flamed red in embarrassment.

"In any case," Yuki said, rolling his eyes at Kyou, "It was not an option for her to go back."

"I still don't understand why you thought it was a good idea to come _here_, to the mountain." Keiko said, stabbing her finger to the table. "Even if Tooru had been forced to move elsewhere you all would have been in the same school still. It wasn't the end of the world."

"As I've said," Yuki said. "Our family head is not stable. Most likely, once he'd heard what happened, Kyou and I both would have been pulled from school and back to the honke."

"So instead of being separated," Keiko's tone was derisive. "You decided to risk your lives to live happily ever after in a shack on the mountain?"

"No. We just came here because we needed time to think. To figure out what to do." Yuki's bland tone made Keiko sound petty for being sarcastic.

"Why didn't you just lie?" Hiroki asked. "If no one told whats-his-name about her friends finding out..."

"Shigure was going to tell. He always does." Yuki said bitterly. "When he left for the honke, that's when we left the house."

"We just didn't know what to do." Tooru said softly.

"Well, that settles it then." Mai said firmly. "You'll stay here."

"Ma!" Keiko buried her head in her hands. "You can't tell me you believe all this. It's like something out of a bad drama. There is something you aren't telling us." She said staring at them. "This isn't just about being separated."

"I don't think it matters much why they're here." Ginta said his calm steady voice deflating Keiko's ire. "I'm sure they had good reason why they felt they had to come, and I don't think they would have stayed as long as they did if they had other options. I think what matters now is to determine what is to be done next."

"Call-" Keiko started.

"Keiko, shush." Mai said firmly.

"I understand Keiko-san's opinion." Yuki said. "She's right. We shouldn't have run and we shouldn't have stayed away so long."

"What do you mean-!" Kyou burst, but Tooru put her hand over his and shook her head. He settled back into his seat. The rat hadn't said anything about this upstairs. Was he really regretting that they'd left? It felt like a betrayal.

"If we had stayed," Yuki continued closing his eyes. He didn't want to see Tooru's hurt look. He didn't want her to think he didn't want to be with her. "We might have been able to figure out a simpler solution. We might have managed to argue our way into being together. But," He sighed, "we panicked. We ran. If we'd gone back, right away, _maybe_ we would have been forgiven." He shook his head. "But now, if we went back... we can't. It's not just being separated, we honestly don't know what Akito may do. Not just to us, but to Honda-san. Akito has hurt people before."

"So what are your plans now?" Keiko asked, sounding mollified for the first time.

"Honda-san promised her mother that she would finish high school. We want to go to a place where she and I can enroll. We're going to get an apartment."

"How are you going to afford that?" Hiroki asked. "Do you know how expensive that is?"

"Yes." Yuki said. "We've been researching it. Kyou's going to get a full time job, and we're going to get part-time work. We have some money saved to pay the housing fees. We know it will be hard."

"How old are you?" Keiko asked. "Most places won't rent to minors. I've helped some of my students get places of their own. Most require some kind of adult co-signer. Any decent place will."

Yuki flinched. He hadn't thought of that. "We're still exploring all our options." He bluffed.

"It's asking a lot." Tooru said hesitantly. "But if Mai-san doesn't mind us staying for another week, Yuki-kun hopes to find us some place in the rental listings."

"We can go." Kyou said belligerently. "Nothin's stopping us but the Rat."

Yuki's mouth settled into a hard line, the reminder of his weakness stung.

"Of course you can stay!" Mai said. "For as long as you like."

"Ma!" Keiko said.

"Keiko, dear." Ginta said patting her hand. "You leave this to us for now."

"Keiko-san wants to protect her parents." Tooru said. "She loves Ginta-san and Mai-san."

"Of course I do." Keiko said. "Just because I'm adopted doesn't mean I'd love them any less than a regular child loves their parents."

Tooru clasped her hands together. "Mother always said that blood wasn't what made a family. Families are made of consideration for each other. Thats why I know that Mai-san's family is strong, because they have so much thought and care for one another. Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun are my family now. I want to be strong like Keiko-san to be able to protect them like she wants to protect her parents and brother." Yuki and Kyou started in surprise at being referred to as family. They stared at her as she stood and bowed her head low over the table. "I'm asking that Keiko-san _please_ let us prove that we mean no harm to her family. Yuki-kun needs just this one week, please. A-and me too, I like Mai-san, Kazuya-san, Ginta-san and Hiroki-san. I like working in the kitchen and feeling useful. Just for one week, can I be part of Keiko-san's family?"

Kyou squirmed in his seat before getting up to match her bow. "The Rat needs to rest, and so does she. I'll do my best to make myself useful, so please. Me too." He said awkwardly.

Yuki looked at the two of them, his face blank. Kyou always beat him in things like this. He expected Tooru to do something, but he hadn't expected Kyou to debase himself so freely. He sighed. "I know that Mai-san doesn't want to be repaid, but if it would make Keiko-san feel better, she can take the money we have now as collateral." He took out the wallet and thumbed through it. "We just need to keep a little back for some things we still need to replace..."

"Keep your money, son." Ginta said firmly.

"But-" Yuki said.

"Put it away." Mai added. "You're staying, Keiko doesn't have any say in this."

"Ma! Pop!" Keiko protested.

"Keiko." Mai said firmly. " I know you think you know everything now that you're an adult-"

"Ma-" Keiko tried to interrupt, but Mai held up her hand.

"But your Father and I have still been on this earth longer than you. We've learned to recover from our own mistakes." Mai smiled at Ginta and wove her fingers through his. "If we're making a mistake now, it's ours to make. And we'll deal with the consequences then."

Keiko crossed her arms. "I know you kids aren't telling us everything," she said. "And I don't know how much of what you told us I believe. But, it's obviously not up to me if you stay or not."

"We don't want to stay if it makes Keiko-san uncomfortable." Yuki said.

"But Yuki-kun..." Tooru said softly.

"But you obviously can't go anywhere for a while either." Keiko said grudgingly. "And there isn't anywhere else for you to stay in town." She sighed. "So I suppose I don't have any choice but to be comfortable about it." She shifted in her seat.

Mai patted the back of her hand. "Keiko-chan, it's getting late. Rei and little Makoto have to be wondering where you are."

"Rei knows where I am." Keiko said, but pushed back her chair and stood.

"You should bring them by for dinner some night." Mai said, rising along with her. "We haven't seen you in a while." Ginta rose and walked with them towards the door.

"We'll come by." Keiko said. "Rei's going to want to see your house guests for himself, I'm sure."

"I'm more interested in seeing Makoto." Mai grinned. "At this age they change so quickly. It will be like meeting a whole new little person."

"She is changing so much, every day." Keiko smiled, changing her severe face completely. "I've got new pictures to bring over too."

"Your house wasn't damaged in the storm?" Ginta asked. "Not anymore then what you told us?"

"Just the one window." Keiko nodded. "And the tree knocked down the fence. We were lucky. Oh, Kazuya," She craned her neck around to see him. "School will re-open tomorrow."

"Aw darn." Kazuya grumbled. "I'm going to bed." He gave a lusty sigh. "You guys don't have any idea how lucky you are you don't have to go."

"I wish I could go." Tooru said enviously watching him leave.

"Soon, Honda-san." Yuki said. "We'll have to start studying to catch up."

"Yes!" Tooru nodded, clenching her hands into fists. "It will be tough, but I'll do it."

"You'll have help." Yuki reminded her. Kyou watched them with mixed feelings. He didn't like this school talk. While they'd be lovey-dovey in school, he'd be working. It felt like a rift was already growing between them.

"But now you kids should head up to bed." Hiroki said. "That's my plan anyway."

Tooru glanced at Ginta and Mai, saying their goodbyes to Keiko.

"Do you think it's okay?" Kyou asked Yuki. "Do you think she'll tell?"

"She won't tell." Hiroki said, making them jump. They'd thought he'd left. "Keiko knows that Mai and Ginta will be upset if she does, so she'll give you guys the week at least." He grinned. "Plus, she's softer than she looks."

"Alright." Ginta said, he and Mai walking back from the front door. "Everyone up to bed. The day's been long enough and the night will be short as it is."

Tooru glanced at Yuki and Kyou. For the first time she wasn't feeling exhausted. "Um, I was thinking of maybe doing a little mending."

Everyone looked at her. "I napped earlier." She explained.

"I'm not really tired either." Kyou admitted. He'd come out of their time on the mountain the least injured and was recovering the quickest. He didn't need as much sleep as they'd been getting, though it had been appreciated.

Yuki fingered his sling. He was exhausted. He knew it was the medication, and his injuries, that made him feel this way but he hated it anyway. He hated being weak and feeling like a burden. "I'll stay up with you Honda-san. I wanted to look through some of those papers anyway."

"Don't stay up too late." Mai scolded.

"We'll be in Keiko-san's room." Yuki said, "So as to not bother anyone... Unless you preferred we stay down here?"

"No upstairs is fine." Ginta yawned. "Druther keep the restaurant clean."

"I'll do these dishes, Mai-san." Tooru said, gathering up the tea cups and bowls. "And I'll bring the snacks upstairs."

"I'll do the dishes." Kyou said taking the dirty dishes from her. "You go on with that stuff. I know where everything goes already."

"Okay." Tooru smiled. "Are you ready Yuki-kun?

Yuki and Tooru retreated to Keiko's room. Tooru pulled out the mending and her packet of thread and settled down to work. Yuki started to close the door, distracted by the noise of the Iwayas getting ready for bed.

"Leave that door open." Mai said, walking past on her way to the bathroom. She gave Yuki a knowing look.

Yuki flushed, knowing where her mind had gone. "Yes, ma'am," He mumbled and shuffled quickly away from the door.

"Yuki-kun can sit at the desk." Tooru said, folding herself up on the bed with her mending. "The light is fine here."

"Thank you." Yuki pulled out the rental listings and started reading again through the requirements for a rental contract. It didn't specifically state age restrictions, but there were contracts to be signed. How where they going to get around that?

Kyou came in after he'd finished the dishes and had taken a bath. He took one look at the room and gave a great sigh. Tooru was asleep on the bed with her sewing kit spread around her and the Rat was passed out at the desk. He cocked his ear, the rest of the house was quiet. He crept over to Tooru and gently took the sewing needle from her hand and packed it and her pins carefully away. He moved the mending to the small bedside table.

Tooru gave a little moan and her eyes fluttered open. "Kyou-kun?" She asked sleepily.

"Wake up," Kyou said. "It's time to go to bed."

"The mending?" Tooru looked around her.

"It'll wait." Kyou said shortly. "Get into your pajamas, then we got to get the Rat to bed." He turned around without waiting for her to respond. He wasn't relishing the thought of having to touch Yuki, but he couldn't leave him sleeping at the desk either. Maybe Tooru could convince him to walk to Kazuya's room. The kuso nezumi would probably punch him if he tried to wake him.

Tooru glanced at Yuki and pouted at his back. He was probably already going to have cramps over that. She shucked off her sweater and the pretty new jumper she'd worn today, carefully hanging them up. She debated wearing Keiko's pajamas again, since hers had been in the "unsalvagable" pile left up the mountain. Instead she went with one of Kyou's beat up sweatshirts and pair of his pants, which were both warmer and didn't fall off quite as much. They weren't anything he could wear "out," having been mended with mismatched thread several times in the past month, but they'd work great for sleeping.

"Maybe Yuki-kun should sleep in the bed." Tooru said coming up behind Kyou and putting her hand on his arm. She looked at Yuki and bit her lip. "Yuki-kun might be hard to lift though." When Kyou didn't reply she glanced up at him. "Kyou-kun?" He was just staring at her.

"What are you wearing?"

Tooru looked down at herself. "Does it bother Kyou-kun? Keiko-san's pajamas are so big, but I can change-"

"No, it's fine." Kyou said, but he turned away, blushing. She was so cute wearing that. His pants pooled about her ankles hiding her feet and the sweatshirt was practically a dress on her. But what really embarrassed him was the immediate and visceral reaction his body had to seeing her in his clothes. His skin felt hot and his heart was beating fast. He had to clench is hands to keep them for reaching to draw her close. He coughed into his hand. "So what are we doing with the rat?"

"Because of Yuki-kun's back, I think he should sleep on the bed." Tooru said.

"Then where are you going to sleep?" Kyou asked. "Mai doesn't want us to sleep in the same room."

"Like last night, Kyou-kun and I can sleep on the floor. There are lots of blankets." Tooru looked away from him, obviously avoiding the fact they were supposed to sleep separately.

"That was okay for one night, but you'll get sick. It's too cold." Kyou reminded her. She clasped her hands together and looked up at him, her big puppy eyes blinking. He sighed. "Why don't you come into Kazuya's room? We'll pull apart the futons or something."

It wasn't as good as sleeping next to both of them, but it was better then sleeping alone. Tooru nodded. "Let's get Yuki-kun into bed."

Tooru walked over to Yuki and lightly shook his good shoulder. He didn't wake completely, but let them maneuver him into bed with little fuss. He flopped on his stomach and didn't seem to notice when Tooru tucked his blankets around him.

"Is it okay to let him sleep in his clothes?" Tooru whispered to Kyou.

"I'm not undressing him." Kyou shrugged. Tooru looked at Yuki and bit her lip. "And neither are you! C'mon." He took her by the hand and peered out of the door. There was no sign of the Iwayas, so they snuck over to Kazuya's room. Tooru hurried over to one of the futons and threw herself under the blankets.

Kyou looked at the bed. Kazuya hadn't moved. He looked down at the futons, still pulled together from their nap the other day. He'd said he was going to pull them apart but Tooru hadn't given him a chance. She was sneaky when she wanted to be. He sighed and eased his way carefully under the blankets.

Tooru was curled up underneath like she was trying to hide. Kyou pulled the blankets up over his head. "We've got to get up early tomorrow." He whispered. "Before the others, so you can get back to your room and get the Rat up."

Tooru nodded. "Thank you for letting me stay here tonight." She reached for his hand.

Kyou let her wrap her fingers around his."Yeah, well," he said self consciously, "You had to sleep somewhere." It was awkward just being the two of them. He wondered how the Rat would feel knowing they'd slept together without him. If it was him, he'd be upset. He gritted his teeth, he wasn't going to feel guilty just because they were sleeping in the same place.

"Kyou-kun, are you sleeping?" Tooru whispered after a moment.

"No." He whispered back. "You should be though."

"Is... Is Yuki-kun really going to be okay?" She asked, her fingers tightening convulsively around his. She knew that the boys were sharing things between them that they didn't with her. It was because she wasn't strong enough. She had to get stronger and prove that she could handle everything. She wanted to be like Mai, Keiko, Kin, Uo, Hana and her mother. She wanted to be a strong person that could be depended on.

Kyou was startled by the question. "Yeah. He'll be okay, as long as he rests and doesn't push himself too much." He felt her fingers loosen and she shifted under the sheets. He got the feeling she didn't quite believe him. "The Rat ain't perfect," he said. "But he's not a liar. If it was that serious he'd say something."

"I know." Tooru said softly, ashamed that she'd doubted them. She bit her lip and inched a little closer to Kyou. It was cold without Yuki at her back. "But it's scary."

"Well, don't worry," Kyou blustered, "we'll just make sure he doesn't do too much and he'll be fine."

"Together?" Tooru asked.

"Of course, damn rat won't listen to me if I tell him not to do something." Kyou said. "He'll listen to you, so if I see him doing something he shouldn't, you make him stop."

"Okay!" Tooru said surprised and happy that Kyou had such confidence in her.

"Sshh!" Kyou's fingers tightened around hers. "You'll wake Kazuya!"

"Sorry!" Tooru whispered and snuggled closer. She closed her eyes. "Tomorrow, let's work hard."

"Yeah. Whatever. Get some sleep." Kyou closed his eyes and tried to ignore how close she was. It wasn't working, but he was tired enough to just enjoy it and not get too worked up or guilty about it.

::0::0::

Yuki woke up aware of two things. He was alone and he really had to go to the bathroom. He slid the blankets off and looked around him, his mind still more asleep then awake. This wasn't where he should be.

He shuffled to the bathroom while his brain tried to work it out. His mind was gray and blank, but there was definitely something missing. He shuffled out trying make the puzzle pieces fit together. Where did he belong? What was missing?

He stumbled back into the hallway and looked around him. He didn't belong in that room all by himself. He shuffled into the living room and looked around. This wasn't right either. He scuffed across the hall and looked into the first room, there was a bed and futon with a large lump of bodies. Red hair peeked out of the top and Yuki sighed with relief. That was it, that's where he belonged.

Yuki grunted as he got to his knees to slide under the covers. His back, ribs and shoulder hurt. He just wanted to get comfortable. He crawled in and sighed. He put his forehead to Tooru's back. This is where he belonged. He slid an arm over her hip. This is what was missing. Now he was comfortable.

::0::0::

"Kazuya! You've got school this morning. Time to get up!" Mai knocked her knuckles against the door. She poked her head in. "Kazuya, now!"

Kazuya grimaced and sat up. "Do I hafta? Don't you need me for deliveries?"

"There shouldn't be as many today. Hiroki will take care of them since we have Tooru-chan to help-" Mai said glancing at the futon. She frowned. There were three heads. She stumped over. "Have they been here all night?"

"I don't know." Kazuya said scratching his head. "They weren't here when I went to bed."

"Go brush your teeth." Mai frowned.

Every child knows when not to argue with a parent. Kazuya ran out of the room, grabbing up his school uniform as he went. "Yes, ma'am."

Mai crossed her arms. "Alright, I know you're awake."

Kyou pulled the blanket back to glare at Mai. He'd thought for sure he'd wake up before the Iwayas did. He glanced at Tooru, she was still sound asleep. He started and sat up when he spotted the Rat clinging to her, just as soundly asleep.

"Now, I let the other night go, but this has got to stop." Mai said firmly.

Kyou just stared sullenly at Mai. He wished the Rat was awake, he was better at saying the right thing. Or Tooru, she had a way of calming people down, even if she didn't make any sense.

"Am I understood?" Mai asked. "It's not proper the three of you sleeping together."

"It was just me and her at first." Kyou said glancing at them. "The ra... er, _he_ fell asleep on her bed so she came in here to sleep." He glared at Mai. "We were _just _sleeping."

Mai glanced at Yuki.

Kyou frowned. "He sleepwalks." He explained before she could ask. "He must've wandered in later."

"Well, tonight you'll all sleep in your own beds." Mai said firmly. She walked over and lightly shook Tooru's shoulder. "Come on dear, you can keep sleeping if you want... but you'll have to do it in your own bed."

"Oh..." Tooru murmured, waking up slowly. "Mai-san..." She rubbed her eyes as she sat up. "Yes, sorry." She mumbled, blushing. "Kyou-kun didn't want me to come, but..."

"He explained." Mai said, not looking happy. "But tonight you stay in Keiko's room."

"But Yuki-kun's back..." Tooru said glancing at the sleeping mouse. "Doesn't Mai-san think-"

"Kitagawa would have said something if it mattered that much." Mai said. "Or, we'll ask Kazuya if he minds taking a futon instead. It's not right for you to sleep in a room full of boys."

Tooru ducked her head, scarlet with embarrassment. "Yes, Mai-san." She whispered. "I'll go get dressed so I can help Ginta-san and Hiroki-san in the kitchen." She stood and started for the door.

"There's no rush." Mai said, "You can sleep longer if you want. With school back open things will slow down a lot. Most of the businesses will be open again too." She glanced at Yuki. "You might as well let him sleep."

Kyou flopped back onto the futon. "Whatever, I'm sleeping then." He glanced at Tooru. "You should sleep some more too if you can. If we're going to work hard, we need a lot of energy." Tooru nodded and ran back to her room.

"We'll try to follow your rules." Kyou said to Mai. "Since we won't be here long. But don't make her feel bad."

Mai blinked, not used to people talking back to her. "We have an understanding then." She said finally. "Come down when you're ready."

Tooru slid into Keiko's bed, her cheeks still burning. She really hadn't felt like she was doing anything wrong. Was it really so strange that she wanted to be closer to Yuki and Kyou? That she didn't want to be alone? It didn't feel strange or wrong. But most people didn't do things like that, not with two people, did they? Maybe she really was strange.

She lay back down but she couldn't sleep. She needed Yuki and Kyou. She curled up under the blankets. She'd slept alone for years, why couldn't she relax without them? She shifted a couple of times before admitting it was a lost cause. She sat up. She couldn't sleep but she didn't want to go downstairs without them either.

She pulled the mending off the table and found her needles and thread. She'd just listen for Kyou and Yuki and wait for them to get up. She didn't know how she'd face Mai again and she was dreading tonight and the prospect of spending a whole night without either of them.

::0::0::

It was easier then she'd thought it would be. She finished the mending and went through the clothes that the cleaners had declared "unsalvageable." She sighed. It was almost all Yuki's things. Some of them she might be able to fix up enough for wearing around the house, but he needed more clothes then what he'd bought.

When she heard Yuki and Kyou stirring next door she quickly got dressed and made her bed. When they were ready to go downstairs she was waiting in her door. It was an awkward meeting, they were all embarrassed by Mai and her assumptions. But Tooru smiled at them and they blushed, and it was like any other day.

Ginta and Hiroki treated them as if nothing happened and if Mai wasn't quite as friendly as usual she wasn't mean either. The breakfast rush was over, and they decided to head out to get the last of what they needed to get. Tooru talked Yuki into buying another outfit and Yuki and Kyou talked her into buying a pretty embroidered bag with butterflies to carry her things in instead of a plain black duffel like the ones they'd chosen. Tooru held the bag that held her new pajamas. She'd rather have kept to sleeping in Kyou's sweatshirt, but the set she'd bought was cute. Yuki and Kyou had bought the cheapest they could find, prepackaged button down sleep shirts and pants. They were old men styled things, and she couldn't imagine either actually wearing them.

It was nice being out in the world again, but it was bittersweet to be planning their life away from everything they'd known. It was exciting, thinking about decorating a place of their own and filling it with things they'd like. But, when she looked at place settings she remembered Shigure, now with an empty house. When she looked at drapes she thought about Hana-chan and the valences she and Uo-chan had helped her hang in her room. School supplies reminded her of Momiji, the rabbit had loved stationary stores and used to stop by her classroom to show her his latest finds all the time. A lamp with a Bo-peep figurine and silly stuffed sheep reminded her of Hiro and Kisa and she wondered if they were doing well and if Kisa liked school any better. She couldn't remember what part of the year they were in.

She pet the little sheep and looked up at Yuki and Kyou. They'd wandered into the housewares store to get an idea of what they'd have to earn to have to furnish their apartment. They were looking seriously at a set of small coffee tables. Kyou was scratching his head as he looked at a table tag, their purchases so far hung over his shoulder. Yuki was copying things down into his little notebook, awkward with his sling. They didn't seem to mind at all, leaving it all behind. Didn't they feel any regrets at all? Sometimes she thought she was the only one who missed home.

"Honda-san," Yuki said, coming over. "Do you like that lamp?"

"That thing is ugly." Kyou said, looking at the Bo-peep lamp. "You can't really want that thing?"

"This?" Tooru looked down at it, she'd been absently stroking the sheep's fuzzy back. "Oh, no... it's pretty silly isn't it?" She chuckled. "Probably, the place we go won't need many lamps if it's small. There will be a ceiling lamp."

"That's good." Yuki sighed, tucking his notebook into his sling. As it was it was going to be expensive just to get the necessities.

"I'm hungry." Kyou said scratching his stomach. "Should we go back to the restaurant for lunch?"

"We should help out Mai-san too." Tooru nodded. "Do we have anything else we have to buy?"

"I think we should go to a bookstore." Yuki said. "And get some study guides. We'll need them if we're going to pass an entrance exam."

"Oh, yes!" Tooru said clapping her hands together. "We should start studying. I know Yuki-kun will probably be fine, but test-san has always made me very nervous."

"I'm sure Honda-san will do fine." Yuki said, smiling down at her as they left the store.

Kyou wandered a few steps behind him, feeling like he was watching the space between him and them grow.

For a little town, the bookstore was pretty large. While Tooru and Yuki looked over the study guides for third year students and picked up a catalog of Tokyo area high schools, Kyou wandered over to a rack of magazines. They'd go to school and he'd go to work. He should start thinking about what kind of work he was going to do. He glanced at some of the employment guides.

He snorted to himself. He could vividly hear Hiroki's comment on how obvious it was that he and Yuki had never worked before, never been out in the world. What useful skills did he have? Some how he didn't think his perfect form right straight punch was going to get him far. He wasn't smart like the Rat, it wasn't like he could just get a desk job somewhere. He scratched his head, he'd probably be better off trying to get a couple of part time jobs first. Deliveries maybe, or a convenience store job. He picked up a manga magazine and thumbed through it.

"Does Kyou-kun want to buy that?" Tooru asked, coming up behind him.

"Nah," he shrugged and put it back. "Waste of money. You ready? Rat needs to take his medicine soon, and you didn't eat much breakfast. We should get back."

Tooru smiled, one of the biggest smiles she'd given since they'd come down the mountain. "Yuki-kun is just buying the books now." She kept grinning up at Kyou.

"What?" He asked finally, her smile and knowing look getting on his nerves.

"Kyou-kun watches after us." Tooru said. She covered her heart with her hand. "It feels good."

"It's just because you need it." Kyou said, flustered. "It's nothing big."

"It is." Tooru said, threading her hand through his and pulling him towards Yuki and the door. "Because it shows how much Kyou-kun cares about us. Both of us."

Kyou shook off her hand, and stepped back. "I don't care about _him_."

Tooru didn't press the issue, she just took his hand again and smiled. She tugged him towards the door. "It's almost time for Yuki-kun's medicine." She said as they reached the waiting mouse. "We should get back."

"Give me the books." Kyou said to Yuki. "You shouldn't be carrying anything."

"They're not heavy." Yuki protested, but handed them over when Tooru gave him a look.

Kyou shrugged. "We've got a long walk back." He looked at Tooru grinning that same knowing smile up at him. He shook his head and sighed. Let her think whatever weird stuff she wanted. He knew that even if he didn't hate the Rat anymore he still didn't _like_ the Rat. He was just being practical. He shouldered their packages and started back towards the restaurant. Somebody had to.

::0::0::

"Did you get everything this time?" Mai asked as they walked in the back door. "It doesn't look like much."

"We didn't need much." Yuki said. "Just something to carry our things in, some study guides."

"We'll put our things upstairs and then come down to help." Tooru said.

"No rush." Hiroki said spinning a spatula in his fingers. "We're in the middle of the lunch rush now, and it's been nothing to be concerned over."

"Where is Ginta-san?" Tooru asked, not used to seeing the grill without the skinny man.

"Out on the floor." Mai sighed. "We've got a few trouble-makers out in the dining area."

"Trouble-makers?" Yuki asked. Kyou walked over to the door between the kitchen and the dining room and peered through the little round window. The room was sharply divided. There were several patrons sitting on one side of the room, looking uncomfortable. On the other side, by themselves, were four teenagers and Ginta. One had Ginta's hat and was spinning it lazily on his finger while Ginta stood grimly by with a water pitcher.

"Just some local blow-hards." Hiroki snorted. "They like to come in once and a while and cause trouble. They used to tease Keiko when she still worked here and they harass Mai and Kazuya. So Ginta's trying to get them fed and out of here. If the cops weren't so busy with storm recovery we'd call Matsumoto to help clear them out. They're taking advantage of the storm."

"It's those jerks." Kyou frowned. "The ones that bothered Tooru when we came into town."

"What?" Yuki said walking over to look through. "That's them?"

"Bothered Tooru?" Mai asked.

"It wasn't anything much." Tooru protested quickly, waving her hands. "They just took my hat and made a little fuss. Kin-san got them to go away."

"Kin did?"

"Take the stuff upstairs." Kyou said, shoving the packages into Tooru's arms.

"B-but-" Tooru started.

"Please Honda-san." Yuki said, his face a cheerful blank mask. "I need my pills, if you could get them I'd appreciate it very much."

"Okay." She said, confused. She went up the stairs, glancing back at them.

Yuki and Kyou shared a short look once she was out of the room.

"I'll clear some tables." Kyou said, grabbing a bin and looking grim.

"Now that I'm back, I'll resume taking orders." Yuki said. He smiled at Mai, "I'll let Ginta-san know."

They pushed through the door side by side.

Two of the hoodlums had gotten up and were standing on either side of Ginta. One was whispering something that was turning the stoic man red-faced while the other laughed. The two at the table had destroyed a menu and were flicking pieces of it back and forth at each other.

Kyou banged his bin against one of the tables, making everyone in the restaurant jump. Yuki pulled out a notebook from his sling and walked over to Ginta.

"Ginta-san," He said pleasantly. "We're back from running out errands and you're needed in the kitchen. Kyou and I can help the guests out here."

"That's not necessary-" Ginta started.

"Are you guys done?" Kyou asked coming up along his other side, looking at the table of teenagers. "If you're done leave so I can clear the table."

The teens standing by Ginta turned to look at Yuki and Kyou. One snorted. "Maybe we're not done yet. Maybe we want dessert."

Yuki held up his pad. "Today we have a crème cake and I believe Mai-san has made a pecan pie as well. There is sherbet and ice cream as well. Please, tell me what you want and we'll add it to your bill."

"I don't know if we're going to pay our bill." One of the other teens said, sliding out of the booth. "We haven't gotten very good service." The teens clumped together, trying to look menacing as they surrounded Yuki.

"You kids stop that-" Ginta said, putting his water pitcher on a table.

Kyou cut him off, stepping in his way. "Oi, I think Mai needs you in the kitchen." Even injured he wasn't worried about the Rat dealing with this group. Ginta was much more likely to get hurt.

Ginta didn't leave but he stepped back.

"I'm sorry you don't feel your service was up to par." Yuki kept his face bland and unruffled. "But you are still responsible for your bill. Ginta-san, what is the total?"

Ginta named a number. The teens must have been eating for a while to get a bill that high.

"That's crap!" One of the teens yelled. "We ain't paying that for the garbage they fed us." He swept a dirty plate off the table onto the floor.

"Oi," Kyou said getting in the teen's face, "Quit making more work for me. Pay your bill and leave."

"This doesn't look good." Hiroki said peeping out of the door with Mai.

"Do you think we should call Matsumoto?" Mai said nervously.

Tooru came up behind them. "Mai-san? Hiroki-san?"

They glanced at her but their attention was quickly drawn back to the dining room.

"I do think it's time." Yuki agreed, unruffled by the boys that surrounded him. "Who will be paying?"

"What are you deaf, pretty boy?" One of the boys put a hand on Yuki's injured shoulder. "We ain't paying! In fact, it was so bad you ought to be paying US to eat it!"

Yuki's uninjured hand was a blur, dropping the pad onto the floor and grabbing the boy's hand off his shoulder and bending the hand back painfully at the wrist. "But sir," He said pleasantly as the teen writhed in pain. "If it was so bad, why did you eat it all?" Yuki turned quickly, forcing the teen to stumble backwards. "Surely if it was so objectionable, you would have said something earlier." He stepped forwards, putting his face right next to the startled hoodlum. "Surely that makes sense to you?"

"Whoa, that boy can move!" Hiroki said.

"Actually," Tooru said her forehead wrinkling in concern. "Yuki-kun is moving much slower then normal."

"Hey!" Two of the other boys tried to grab Yuki.

Kyou whacked one across the back of the head with his bin forcing him to his knees. "Oi, sorry, saw some garbage to pick up." He glared at the other boy, making him freeze. "There's lots of garbage around here to take out."

"Ginta-san." Yuki said, still holding a struggling boy by the hand. "It doesn't seem fair, but in the interest of brevity, perhaps we can allow these patrons a free meal?"

"I think we ought to charge them something." Kyou said. He looked at the pile of plates on the table. "They ate a lot." He looked at one of hoodlums. "You got a wallet?"

"If you think I'm just going to hand over-" The boy swung at Kyou. The cat blocked it easily, grabbing his arm, using the boy's momentum to turn him around and pull it behind his back. He grabbed the wallet poking out of the hoodlum's back pocket and tossed it to Ginta. When another teen tried to grab him Kyou kicked out, struck him in the stomach and knocked him down.

"My!" Mai put a hand to her mouth. "He's awfully rough."

"Kyou-kun is holding back." Tooru said. "A lot. Kyou-kun doesn't like fighting people who aren't skilled."

Hiroki and Mai looked at Tooru and wondered how often Kyou got into fights.

"Ginta-san." Yuki said, weaving slightly in place, keeping his painful hold on the hoodlum. "Is there enough to cover their bill?"

Surprised, Ginta opened the wallet. "A little short, but most of it." He took the money out and tossed the wallet back to Kyou.

"Then let me escort you to the door." Yuki smiled. He pushed the boy towards the door and Kyou followed with his charge. They pushed them outside and then turned towards the two left in the restaurant.

"Is there anything else?" Yuki asked, never having lost his calm and pleasant facade. Kyou looked at his hand and the forgotten wallet he held. He tossed it out the door like someone tossing away a piece of garbage.

"You jerks! You think you can push us around?" The boy Kyou had pushed to the ground stood holding his stomach.

"Oi." Kyou said holding Yuki back with a hand to his good shoulder. "Let me finish taking out the garbage. It's my job after all. Besides you're not supposed to be carrying heavy stuff."

His shoulder was throbbing and his back was sore. Yuki didn't like it, but he inclined his head towards Kyou. "If you insist."

Kyou cracked his knuckles. "Okay, time to go." The boys put up a cursory struggle, but every punch was blocked easily by Kyou. Their friends watched from outside, not wanting to face Yuki and Kyou again. The cat forced them out the front door and stood there waiting for them to leave the street.

Tooru pushed past Mai and Hiroki to run to Yuki. "Yuki-kun!" She bit back the worried scolding she wanted to give. He looked embarrassed as it was, and she didn't want to add to it. "Um... your medicine."

He smiled and took the bottle from her. "Thank you Honda-san."

Ginta poured him a glass of water handed it over. "That was a bit of something."

"I hope that doesn't cause problems for Ginta-san." Yuki said swallowing his dosage. He grimaced. That had taken more out of him than he wanted to admit.

"You should eat something with that." Kyou said, glancing over his shoulder. The troublemakers were long out of sight, but he wouldn't put it past them to come back. Yuki just slumped into a neighboring booth.

"I'll get something. For Kyou-kun too." Tooru said, she smiled at Kyou before she went, whispering a thank you for his ears alone. He blushed.

"Don't forget to get something for yourself!" Kyou said to cover his embarrassment. He picked his bin off over the floor. He glanced at Ginta. "I'll clean this mess up."

"You fellas sure know how to mix it up." Ginta said. "Not that I don't appreciate the help, but have you had to deal with stuff like that often?"

Yuki and Kyou glanced at each other. "Nothing like that exactly." Yuki said. He glanced at Kyou's back. "Though I did have a bothersome stray that used to bother me off and on."

"Mai-san had some cutlets ready." Tooru smiled, carrying a tray. Mai followed her with a teapot. "And there were onigiri."

"And I think you all deserve some pie afterwards." Mai smiled. "Those troublemakers, trying to take advantage that the storm's keeping the police busy. For shame."

"Eat before you go loopy." Kyou said to Yuki. He stood with the bin full of dishes. "I'll get the menu scraps after we eat." He put the bin on his hip and mussed Tooru's hair. "You start without me, I'll be back in a minute."

Tooru obediently slid into the seat across from Yuki. "Is Yuki-kun okay?"

"Yes," Yuki said, eating an onigiri as soon as it hit the table. He didn't want to go all funny and strange again. "It really wasn't much of anything."

"If that wasn't much of anything, I don't think I want to see what you consider "something." Ginta said shaking his head and going to reassure the other patrons of the restaurant.

::0::0::

After lunch Yuki took a nap, the medication having made him woozy. Kyou and Tooru threw themselves into working at the restaurant. Kyou was surprised at how quickly news of their small battle got around. More then once as he was clearing a table a patron would stop to praise him for standing up to the boys. Kyou mostly shrugged them off, not knowing how to take a compliment. Tooru got even more questions, being much more approachable. Kyou's ears were permanently stamped with red from hearing her proclaim loudly, and often, that he was very strong, very skilled, very tough. He didn't even mind that she said nearly the same thing about Yuki when asked.

"Mai-san." Tooru and Kyou looked up to see that Yuki had gotten up. He glanced around the restaurant and nodded at Tooru as she waved. He fumbled with their wallet one handed. "I have some phone calls to make. They're long distance so before I made them I wanted to- _OW!_" He yelped. He looked at Mai in shock.

"It told you I'd slap you if you offered to pay one more time." Mai smiled. She'd slapped him hard on his good shoulder.

"But Mai-san, I have a lot of calls to make." Yuki explained, still shocked she'd really hit him. "It could get expensive."

"Yuki-kun?" Tooru looked worriedly between he and Mai.

"It's nothing Honda-san." Yuki assured her. "I was just asking permission to use Mai-san's phone."

"Who is Yuki-kun going to call?" Tooru asked.

"Some of the apartments we'd looked at in the papers." Yuki said. "And some rental agencies." He looked back at Mai. "Does Mai-san mind if I call from upstairs? It's quieter there... unless Mai-san needs some help down here?"

"We've got things under control." Mai smiled.

"Oh." Tooru said. She looked forward to the time when they'd have their own place, but it made her sad at the same time. It meant they'd be leaving this town, and putting themselves further out of reach of the Sohmas. "Um, um... I'll bring some tea up for Yuki-kun."

"Thank you Honda-san." Yuki smiled. "After dinner, if Honda-san isn't too tired, one of the study guides has a mock test. I think Honda-san and I should both take it so we know where we stand."

"Yes." Tooru said swallowing. "That's a good idea." Even just a mock test made her nervous.

"Don't worry." Yuki said, he smiled at Tooru. "I'm sure that Honda-san will do well."

Kyou sighed and retreated into the kitchen, trying to think of something to do while they'd be studying. Maybe he could do some katas in Keiko's room.

::0::0::

It didn't take long for Yuki to realize that this wasn't going to be as easy as he'd thought. And he hadn't even thought it would be that easy! He crossed off another apartment off the list. He'd been aware that places might not want to rent to them because of their age, because there was three of them, or be too expensive. What he hadn't realized how quickly these apartments would be snatched up. He'd made fifteen calls so far and all but one had been rented already. That one was "on hold" for another party who had put down a deposit. He'd bought this magazine less than a week ago, and it had only been published a week before that.

He ran a hand through his hair. He'd continue calling the apartments directly tonight. Tomorrow, if he had no luck, he'd try the agencies. He grimaced. He'd been hoping to avoid the agency fees... if he could even get an agency to work with minors. He buried his head in his arms. Things were looking more and more bleak. He'd promised Tooru that he'd take care of her, that he'd get her back into school, and give her back everything she'd lost. How was he going to do that if he couldn't even find a place for them to live?

"Yuki-kun." He looked up to see Tooru standing in the living room doorway.

He sat up. "Ah, Honda-san." He moved around some of the papers so she wouldn't see the red marks he'd put over the places he'd called.

"Mai-san says you should come down for dinner." Tooru said. "And it's time for Yuki-kun's medicine again."

"Its always time for medicine." Yuki muttered, raising himself wearily up from the table.

Tooru smiled. "Only for a little while longer. Then Yuki-kun will start feeling better." She wove her fingers through his.

"Yes." Yuki smiled as they walked towards the stairs. "I do feel better already."

"That makes me so happy." Tooru said. She let go of his hand and skipped down the stairs. She smiled up at him as he slowly followed.

Kyou was waiting at a table, looking uncomfortable with the stares and whispering of the restaurant patrons. It was another busy night. Over dinner Yuki broke the news about their apartment search. Kyou understood immediately but Yuki wasn't sure if Tooru quite did. She didn't look disappointed at all.

"Can we afford an agency?" Kyou asked.

"I don't know." Yuki admitted. "I won't know until I talk with them."

"Hey, can I sit with you guys?" Kazuya said around biscuit in his mouth and holding a plate full of food. He had a book tucked up under his arm.

"Yes, of course!" Tooru said, moving closer to Kyou in the booth, giving Yuki room to slide over and give Kazuya room. "Did Kazuya-kun have a good time at school today?"

Kazuya rolled his eyes. "Yeah. Like that's possible."He sighed. "The teachers gave us double homework because of the days we missed. I don't know how they expect us to get it all done." He set his book on the table. "But I'm lucky you guys are here. With you helping Ma and Pop, it gives me more time to study." He opened the book on the table and pulled a worksheet from the pages.

Yuki looked at the book curiously. "What subject are you working on?"

"Math." Kazuya sighed. "I hate math."

"Math is hard." Tooru agreed. "Ah, Kazuya-kun is a second year? We did this kind of formula."

"You did?" Kazuya brightened. "So you understand this stuff?"

"No, not at all." Tooru said brightly.

Kazuya looked at her directly."What?"

"I wouldn't have passed without Yuki-kun's help." Tooru said. "It was only with Yuki-kun's tutoring that I was able to make it through. I forgot about it immediately afterwards."

"You shouldn't sound so proud of that Honda-san." Yuki said lightly.

Tooru ducked her head with a weak laugh.

"But you get this stuff?" Kazuya asked Yuki.

"This formula is pretty simple." The rat said looking over the worksheet. "If you understand the basic principal of ordering, it's all simple math after that. You see, you just do it this way..." Yuki explained.

"That makes way more sense then the way Keiko describes it!" Kazuya grinned. "Here, let me do one."

He frowned at the work sheet and painfully made his way through one of the problems. "Is this right?"

"Yes. You've got it." Yuki said looking it over.

"Don't you have to work out the problem?" Kazuya asked, looking at his paper.

"I did it in my head." Yuki said finishing up his meal. "Do you need help with the rest of it? Honda-san and I were going to do a mock-test after dinner. If Kazuya-kun wants he can study with us."

Kyou kept his attention on his plate. He studiously worked his way through his meal, trying to ignore the conversation going on around him. When his plate was empty, he stood up. "You done?" He said to Tooru, her plate was empty too.

"Oh, um, yes." Tooru said, startled. "Where is Kyou-kun going?" She asked, watching him gather up plates.

"Tables are starting to fill up." Kyou said shortly. "I'm going to go start clearing the empties. I'll take your stuff so you can study. Give me your stuff, Rat." He grabbed Yuki's empty plates and was gone before she could protest.

He dumped them in the sink and grabbed a bin, ignoring their table and working at cleaning the other end of the restaurant. He looked up a while later and they were gone.

"They went upstairs to study." Mai said, passing by and noticing his look. "It will be a miracle if Yuki actually manages to help Kazuya with his math. If you want to go join them we'll be fine down here."

"No thanks." Kyou said shortly. "I don't have anything to study for. They don't need me. I'll go wash these."

He stomped into the kitchen trying not to feel upset and left out. He'd been the one who volunteered to work. He ought to just get used to this. The pile of plates disappeared too quickly. He sighed and wiped his brow, grabbed the bin and marched back towards the dining room. He'd keep himself too busy to think about it.

"I want to go _home._"

Kyou glanced up from clearing a table to the booth next to him. There was a family sitting there, a young couple, a child of about seven or eight and an old woman. The old woman's meal was untouched.

"I know you do, Mother." The man said patiently. "But I haven't been able to find anyone to even patch your roof. Enoki said he wouldn't have time to fix the roof until next week. Until then you'll have to stay with us."

"It's not so bad, is it?" The young woman asked. "You know you're welcome to stay as long as you want." She looked at the child sitting next to her. "You like sharing your room with Grandmother, don't you?" The little boy nodded.

"I want to go home." The old woman said again. "I want to be in my own place." She looked at the young woman. "It isn't that I don't like you, I'm glad Takuya has you. But they say it may rain again this weekend. I want to clean up my house, and get back home." She looked at her son. "Can't you patch the roof? Just enough for me to clean up?"

"I don't have time Mother." The man said. "I can't take any more time off of work. I offered Watase double his usual rate, just to patch it, but he said he's got too many people waiting."

"It's not even a big hole." The old woman sighed, picking at her food.

"That's part of the problem. There are people who have much bigger problems that have to be fixed first." The man explained. "I can't find anyone else to help."

"I can fix it." The words left his mouth before he really thought about it. Kyou flushed a little when they all turned to look at him. "If all you need is a patch until a professional can fix it, I can do that. If you're paying."

"Oh, you're um..." The man stopped flustered.

"Is there a problem?" Mai asked coming up. She glanced at Kyou and smiled at him.

"No, not at all. Just, the young man was offering to help fix Mother's roof. Patch it at least." Takuya said.

"Kyou is a very hard worker." Mai smiled. "If he says he can fix it, I'm sure he can."

"Takuya, please?" His mother asked. "I just want to clean up. All my pictures will get ruined if they get wet."

"Well," the man said doubtfully, "I don't suppose he could make it worse. How much do you charge?" He asked Kyou.

"He'll take what you were going to pay Watase." Mai said pleasantly, pouring them a round of tea. "He was telling me this morning how much he regretted turning down your offer."

The man sighed. Everyone knew not to go up against Mai. "When can you be there?"

"First thing tomorrow morning." Kyou promised. He didn't know how much "Watase" had been promised, but anything would help. Maybe, if he could get enough odd jobs he could help pay for the rental agency or key money if they needed it.

::0::0::

"Do you think it's a good idea to split up?"

Kyou was taken aback by Yuki's question. He really hadn't thought about that. He buttoned up his

old man pajamas. "We need the money."

"Just.. be careful..." Yuki said. "If someone does come for us..."

"They won't be coming for me." Kyou said shortly. If someone came to get any of them it would be the Rat.

There was a knock at the door. "Yuki-kun? Kyou-kun?"

"Coming Honda-san." Yuki said, quickly finishing his own buttons. He stepped over and opened the door.

"I... that is..." Tooru said, shifting from foot to foot and clutching a pillow to her chest."I wanted to say goodnight." She squeezed the pillow to keep her hands from shaking.

"Do you want us to stay with you until you fall asleep?" Yuki asked.

"What happened to your new pajamas?" Kyou asked. She was wearing his sweatshirt and pants again.

Tooru blushed. She wanted something of them close if she couldn't have them. She had a shirt of Yuki's hidden under the pillow in Keiko's bed. "Oh, well, I thought maybe I'd save them... for when we got our new place." She glance at Yuki and Kyou and suppressed a smile. The pajamas they were wearing did not match their personalities at all. Yuki's had a strange paisley print in muted plum colors and Kyou's were striped bright red and white like a candy cane. They were baggy and unflattering.

"Honda-san?" Yuki said, running a hand along his shirtfront, wondering if he was mis-buttoned.

"Oh, yes, sorry." Tooru said. "Um, no, Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun don't have to stay with me." She really wanted them to, but this was step one in getting stronger. "I just wanted to say goodnight."

"Goodnight Honda-san." Yuki said. "Tomorrow we'll help Mai-san again, and I'll make more calls. Kyou got work fixing a roof, so he'll be gone for a while."

"Really?" Tooru said looking at Kyou. "Will Kyou-kun be gone long?"

"I should be back before lunch." Kyou said unbuttoning his first button. It felt like it was choking him. "But it depends on how much damage there is."

"If Kyou-kun is late, I'll bring him bento." Tooru said. She didn't like the thought of him being gone, but she had to get used to it.

Yuki and Kyou shared a glance. "Okay." Kyou said. They stared at each other for a minute, none of them wanting to be the first one to turn away.

"Excuse me." Kazuya said, clearing his throat awkwardly. "I, uh, need to get in."

Tooru jumped and turned. "Oh, yes, sorry. Goodnight!" she said again to Yuki and Kyou and hurried to Keiko's room. She closed the door, then cracked it open just a little. She turned out the light and snuggled under the covers. She pulled out Yuki's shirt and clutched it to her. Maybe she'd make a pillow out of it, to make it more substantial. It was one of the un-salvageable ones, so he wouldn't miss it.

She curled up around it and stroked her bracelet. She listened to the house slowly quiet and tried to sleep. She knew it was just her mind, but the room seemed to get darker and darker as time passed. She raised her head to look at the digital clock on the desk. She'd only been laying here a half hour. She curled up again and closed her eyes determinedly.

She started counting, a trick she'd learned when her mother would be away on overnight trips. If she counted long enough she'd drift off to sleep.

She got up to five hundred when she both lost count and decided she didn't want to start over again. She sat up and glanced at the clock. At least this time, hours had passed. She wrapped Yuki's shirt around her hand. She really wanted to see them. Between numbers her mind had been chasing around the possibility that they weren't in Kazuya's room any more. She knew it was absolutely ridiculous. They were of course sleeping right there on his floor. She would have heard them if they'd left.

Maybe she'd feel better, she thought, if she walked over to the door. She should be able to hear them breathing. She clutched her pillow to herself and slid out of bed. She crept over to the door, but couldn't hear anything over her own breathing. She slipped out of her room and crept over to Kazuya's doorway. She pushed it open a crack and listened.

She smiled. Kyou was snoring, and she could hear Yuki murmuring in his sleep. She sat by the door and leaned against the wall. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She rested her head on her pillow and yawned. She'd just listen for a little while and then go back to bed.

::0::0::

It was still pitch dark and quiet when Kyou woke up. He scratched his stomach and look over his shoulder. He frowned. Yuki had scooted over until he was almost pressed up to his back. He could understand why, usually Yuki mashed himself up next to Tooru, but it didn't mean that Kyou had to like it.

He got up and looked at the sleeping mouse. He was half on his futon and half on Kyou's. He couldn't even pull them apart without waking him up. He was tempted to do it anyway, but the Rat was dangerous when half asleep or suddenly woken. He decided to go to the bathroom and figure it out afterward.

Kyou opened the door and nearly stepped on Tooru's hand. He swore under his breath. He glanced behind him and then down at Tooru, sound asleep against the door frame.

"Oi." He whispered, kneeling down next to her, shaking her lightly. "What are you doing?"

Tooru started awake and shrunk back from him. "Kyou-kun?"

"What are you doing sleeping here?" He asked. "You'll make yourself sick."

"Ah! I'm sorry!" She whispered. "I couldn't sleep, so I came out here, just to listen for a bit."

"To listen?" Kyou shook his head. "Well, go back to bed."

Tooru ducked her head into her pillow and looked up at him.

Kyou sighed. "Do, do you want me to sit with you for a little bit. Till you get tired again?"

"Yes, please." Tooru said eagerly.

"Go get a blanket." Kyou said, "I'm going to run to the bathroom. We'll just sit out here for a couple minutes okay? As soon as you get sleepy you go back to Keiko's room."

"Okay." Tooru agreed. She ran to get a blanket and met Kyou as he came out of the bathroom. They sat up against the wall and settled down next to each other.

Kyou tucked the blanket around them and crossed his arm. "Okay, just for a little bit now."

Tooru nodded and leaned her head against his shoulder. It took her roughly five minutes to fall fast asleep. Kyou debated waking her up just long enough to fall asleep himself.

Yuki inched over on the futon, frowning when he didn't meet up with the body heat that he was used to. He sat up, his eyes zombie like. He was in the wrong place again he thought muzzily. Mai would get upset if he slept in the wrong place, so he had to find the right place.

He stumbled out to the hallway and into the bathroom. He stumbled back out again after deciding that wasn't the right place. He spotted Tooru and Kyou huddled up against the wall. Even in his sleepwalking state he thought it was kind of a weird place to sleep, but he knew he belonged next to them. He slumped down next to Tooru and leaned against her with a sigh.

::0::0::

Mai woke them up the next morning, quietly furious. Tooru was hugely apologetic, taking all the blame. Kyou tried to explain how he'd found her and Yuki admitted he had no memory of how he'd gotten there. They promised not to do it again. But the next morning they were found sleeping around the living room table, and the morning after that, back down in the kitchen.

It became a typical part of their routine for the week. They'd get startled awake by a member of the Iwaya family, Tooru would help in the kitchen and Yuki would make phone calls about apartments or rental agencies. After Kyou's roof repair went well, word spread and he became in demand for minor repairs around the town. Tooru followed him a few times, helping housewives clean up the indoor storm damage while Kyou fixed fences, roofs and cleared brush and garbage from yards. In the evenings Tooru and Yuki would study, or rather Yuki would tutor her and Kazuya, while Kyou worked in the restaurant. At night they'd settle in there separate rooms until something drew them out one by one to meet somewhere.

Yuki was becoming more and more desperate. His apartment search was yielding no leads at all. The week they had to stay at the Iwayas was almost over and he had found no where for them to go. No rental agency would work with them without an adult co-signer and no apartment would rent to them. He'd found one or two that said it was a possibility after an interview, but that was too risky to depend on and in more than one case had sounded suspiciously like suggestions for a bribe. He grimaced. At least with all the work Kyou was doing around town they might actually be able to afford that. But he'd been trained in business enough to know that once you gave a bribe, you'd better be prepared to continue. He didn't want to start them off that way.

"Yuki-kun." Tooru said cheerfully from the next room. She must have just gotten home from her latest cleaning job. "It's time for dinner."

Tooru skipped into the living room. "Is Yuki-kun ready?"

Yuki smiled. "Yes, Honda-san. I'm ready." It was a total lie. Tonight was six days past when they'd asked to stay at Mai's. He had nothing. They should be leaving tomorrow, but they'd made no plans. Kyou hadn't agreed to any more repairs, but beyond that they weren't ready to go.

"Any luck today?" She asked, smiling at Kyou as he came out of Kazuya's room in a one of his new outfits. He'd been wearing some of his beat up outfits to work in,and changing before dinner.

"Some leads." He said noncommittally. Kyou glanced at him over her head and Yuki shook his head. No luck.

"Keiko-san came for dinner tonight." Tooru said, shrugging off their lack of housing. "She brought her daughter and husband. Motoko-chan is very cute!"

"Isn't she?" Mai said proudly, over hearing the last comment as they reached the kitchen. "And she's smart too! So clever." She pushed her way through the kitchen. "I've got a table set up in the back, Kazuya's already there."

"Oh!" Tooru said glancing at Yuki and Kyou, "we don't want to intrude on a family dinner."

"Nonsense." Mai said and ushered them out the door."Go on, it's busy tonight."

Kyou and Yuki exchanged looks again, suspicious at Keiko's sudden return so close to the end of their requested week. Keiko and her husband, a rather standard example of Japanese male, sat at the table their meals in front of them. Keiko was bouncing a chubby one year old against her knee. Kazuya was already halfway through his dinner.

"Hello Keiko-san." Tooru said.

"Hello kids." Keiko said, smiling. "This is Rei, my husband. And this," she bounced the child against her knee making her giggle, "Is Motoko-chan."

"She's so cute!" Tooru enthused.

"It's nice to meet you." Rei said. "Please sit down."

Yuki and Kyou nodded and took seats. Tooru served Yuki and Kyou from the plates on the table and then herself. "Would Keiko-san or Rei-san like more tea?" She asked before sitting.

"Yes, thank you." Rei said smiling pleasantly.

"So I've heard that you've fit in to town pretty well." Keiko said. Her daughter giggled and dug chubby fists into her hair. She was practically a different person then the last time they'd seen her. When she was smiling and pleasant, she was much more attractive.

"Everyone's been very nice." Tooru nodded. "And there have been lots of jobs to do. The storm did a lot of damage!"

"I heard that Kyou has become quite the handyman." Keiko said. "And that Yuki's been helping my hopeless brother with his math and history."

"I'm not hopeless, I just got awful teachers. Especially in math!" Kazuya said.

"Shut up." She tossed carrot off her plate at him. "None of my other students complain."

"Where you can hear them at least." Kazuya muttered.

Motoko giggled and grabbed a handful of carrots off of Keiko's plate and pelted her father with them.

"Oh, no, Motoko-chan, don't do that!" Keiko scolded. "Not to Daddy!"

Rei cleaned himself off with a frown. "You can't blame her for imitating Mommy's bad habits."

Tooru giggled.

"Oi." Kyou said. "Don't forget to eat."

"Yes!" She said and took a bite.

"So Keiko-san just came over for dinner?" Yuki asked leadingly. He'd rather get any difficulties taken care of right away.

"And to check up with you." Keiko said. "Though, I've had lots of people giving me reports this week." She sighed. "I'm sorry I was so hard on you kids last week. Ma really does take in all kinds of strays and more than one has ripped her off."

"It does make sense for Keiko-san to worry about her parents." Tooru said reasonably.

"So, how has your apartment search gone?" Keiko asked. "Any luck?"

Yuki winced. "No, well, I have a couple places who are willing to interview..."

"And a school?" Keiko's tone was casual. "Any ideas on that yet?"

"We were going to look into school after we got our apartment." Tooru answered. "But Yuki-kun and I have been studying!"

"I heard. Ma gave me a copy of your mock test." Keiko smiled.

"She did?" Yuki said, his head flying up. "How-"

"You left it on the living room table." Keiko shrugged. "Listen, I know that you're not ready to leave Ma and Pop's yet. I'm not here to hassle you about it. I _still_ think you guys aren't telling us everything, but, well, you've been working hard here in town, and in the restaurant, and at your studies." She sighed. "I want to help you if I can." She handed Motoko to her husband. She pulled a bag from beneath the table.

"Help?" Yuki asked.

"Our school, because it's so remote, has a sister school in Tokyo." She pulled out a couple of brochures and handed them to the three. "We share activities like school trips, our students correspond in pen pal assignments and have a reciprocal relationship with their high school and college."

"That's interesting." Yuki said hesitantly, looking over the brochure. The school was square in the middle of the high school rankings. "What does a "reciprocal relationship" mean?"

"It means that you don't have to go through special transfer paperwork if one of our students wants to go to the city to study. The high school and college are escalator schools, so if one of our students wants to go there, as long as they pass their classes, they don't have to worry about an entrance exam."

"Oh." Yuki said, still not seeing where this was leading.

"I can help you three get in, if you're interested." Keiko said. "You'll have to pass the entrance exam for the local school, but I can help with the paperwork to make it look like you were my students."

"Really Keiko-san?" Tooru clapped her hands. "Thank you so much!"

"But... "Yuki said, not wanting to disappoint Tooru, but afraid to hope. "We still don't know if we'd be able to find a place local to live, or that we'd be able to afford the school fees." He looked through the pamphlet, it didn't say anything about that.

"Well, that's the second thing I wanted to bring up." Keiko took out another pamphlet. "Our students who go there usually stay here. It's not fancy, it's mostly used by the college students, but some high school students board too." She handed the pamphlet. Even in it's promotional photos the building looked run down and in need of repair. "It's not great, but they'll waive the need for an adult co-signer if you're enrolled in the school there and have a teacher sponsor. The apartments are small, even the family units, so you'll probably be cramped, but you can deal for a year or so until you graduate."

"But-" Yuki started.

"I can be your sponsor, if you pass the entrance exam of course."

"But why?" Yuki blurted. "We do appreciate your help, but-"

Keiko sighed, and took Motoko back from her husband. The baby gurgled and pat her on the face, chanting lightly "Ma-ma, Ma-ma, Ma-ma."

"Listen, I want you out of Ma's house. It's nothing against you kids, you seem nice. But you're obviously running from something, and that something might be a danger to my family." She bounced Motoko on her knee. "And Ma gets attached. I know you aren't ready to leave yet, Ma definitely won't kick you out, so if I want you out I suppose I have to help you."

"Thank you for being so honest." Yuki said wryly. But it did help explain her sudden generosity. He didn't know what to feel, it was all their hopes handed to them out of nowhere. It felt too easy, too pat, too simple.

"So..." Tooru said, her voice shaking. "This means that we really can go back to school? And we'll have a place to be together?"

Yuki took a deep breath. "We'll have to think about it Honda-san." Yuki looked at Keiko. "When do we take the entrance exam?"

"I can set you up for a test as early as tomorrow." Keiko offered.

"Tomorrow!" Tooru gasped. "Oh!"

"Maybe a couple of days to let you study would be better." Keiko smiled. "But from the mock tests Ma gave me you shouldn't have much trouble passing."

"If it's not too much trouble, a couple of days..." Tooru mumbled. "I know can pass with Yuki-kun's help... but..."

"Today is Wednesday," Keiko said. "Why don't we plan for the test on Monday? That will give you the whole weekend to study."

"Yes, that sounds good." Tooru smiled, still looking nervous.

"Can non-students live there?" Yuki asked, glancing at Kyou. "Do you know how expensive the school is and the apartment?" He was starting to get past the surprise and his brain was starting to work again. A building for students couldn't be too expensive, nor a public school. With the extra work Kyou and Tooru were doing, and with no rental agency to deal with, they might have more start up money then they'd thought. If the costs were low enough, and if Kyou wanted too, he might even be able to return to school with them. If they appeared to be students from the Keiko's school, they wouldn't have to worry about how to disguise their identities, a problem he hadn't even started to tackle.

"There are families that live there with students attending the school, and some alumni stay there afterwards, so they shouldn't have a problem with non-students." Keiko said, patting Motoko's back. "There will be more rules than a regular apartment, but it will be a lot cheaper. Plus, meals are included... breakfast and dinner at least."

"So how are things going?" Mai asked, popping up with her tea pot. "Getting things settled?"

"Yes!" Tooru said eagerly. "Keiko-san is going to give us an entrance exam and has found us a place to live!"

"A place to live?" Mai said, frowning.

"Perhaps." Yuki said. He didn't want to get Tooru too excited before he'd had a chance to look over all the details. "A boarding house." He held up the pamphlet.

"But I thought you were going to get them in the school here," Mai said to Keiko. "Then they could have stayed with us."

Suddenly the reason Keiko was being so friendly and helpful became clear. Mai had been trying to arrange for them to stay in town for good, without asking or wanting to know how they felt about it.

"Mai-san." Yuki said carefully. "Thank you very much for thinking of us, but we can't stay here." He glanced at Tooru. She could be happy here, and he and Kyou could have adjusted if it meant keeping her happy. But it wasn't safe here. Kyou had already been recognized, everyone knew about them. It was only a matter of time before someone back home heard about it and came looking.

"But you're children," Mai said helplessly. "You shouldn't be out on your own. Someone should be looking after you."

"We don't need looking after," Kyou muttered, crossing his arms.

Tooru took his hand and smiled at Mai. "We look after one another." She hadn't felt like a child in a very long time. "Mai-san doesn't have to worry. We aren't alone. We have each other."

::0::0::

_Okay, I've got another good 20 pages written of this, but this was the best stopping point (and it was 40 pages already!!). I'm going to keep going on this story for a little bit longer before switching over to Full Course. I wanted to get something up though, because I feel behind. I feel like it's moved forward, but not as much as I wanted it too. -Merrow_


	24. Bright Spring Day

::0::0::

"So, if we take one of the smaller rooms," Yuki said finishing up a line of figures, "and all have part time jobs that pay at least _this_ much...all of us can afford to go to school."

The restaurant was closed and dark. Ginta had told them restaurant would be closed tomorrow, they were closed every third Thursday of the month. They'd decided to stay up and figure out their plans before going to bed. Mai had made it obvious that she wasn't happy about the thought of them leaving. She'd come down twice herself to try to convince them to stay, and sent Kazuya down once try to talk up his school. He'd spent most of the time trying to convince Yuki to stay and join the soccer team.

Kyou looked at the sheet briefly before tossing it back at Yuki. "Barely, and that means we have to take one of the single room apartments with no kitchen and a communal washroom."

"Only for a year." Tooru said. "Once Yuki-kun and I are out of school..."

"I think we should stick to the plan." Kyou interrupted crossly. "I'll work, and then we can get the bigger apartment with private washroom and the kitchenette."

"If we get the kitchenette," Yuki argued. "Then we'd have to pay for food. If we get one of the rooms without we'll get breakfast and dinner added in."

Tooru examined the booklet on the boarding house. She did want her own kitchen, she missed cooking for everyone. But if they went with a smaller apartment Kyou could go to school with them and she'd give up cooking all together if it meant they three could be together every day. "There is an apartment that has a private washroom but no kitchen," Tooru said. "And there is a small divider for a sleeping area." She looked up at Yuki and Kyou then back at the pamphlet. "It's still more expensive then the small room..."

"May I see?" Yuki asked. Tooru handed it to him at the open page. "Senior lodgings." His forehead wrinkled. "Do they mean senior students or elderly? Ah," He said his expression clearing. "It's part of the student dorm areas." The boarding house was a three story building set up like a large U. The left side was specifically set aside for students and, according the pamphlet, had stricter rules. The right side were full apartments, the first two floors being larger apartments with no kitchens, the third floor with kitchens. The third floor of the student dorms had a larger room, but strict noise rules and was reserved for students in their third year of high school or college students only. "Technically, we qualify. I don't think we'll have problems with the noise regulations. It would be tight, but we could manage it on part time work, if we all got a good wage."

"If I work," Kyou said doggedly, "then we could get by and save for a better place once you guys finish school. You've got less than a year left. Plus, it will give us more money to buy the stuff we need." He looked away, trying to play off that he'd been thinking this strange arrangement between the three of them might last for more then just a short time.

"Kyou-kun doesn't want to come back to school?" Tooru asked.

"It's not like I was ever really good at it." Kyou said, tapping a finger against a table and keeping his eyes from hers. As much as he disliked the thought of Tooru and Yuki being off all day together at school, even more he hated the thought of being useless to her. What could he do to pull his weight in school? It was the Rat she'd be looking to to help with that. If he was working he was at least doing something to help.

"It would make things easier." Yuki sighed. But only in the short term, for him and for Tooru. In the long term, it would always be harder for Kyou to find a good paying job with no high school degree. He'd be in the same situation as Tooru's mother had been, working hard for the rest of his life. He gave himself a mental shake. This was the Cat he was fretting over. Why was he all worried? Let him work himself to death for all he cared. Yuki's stomach turned, he couldn't even finish the thought without feeling instantly guilty.

He shifted in his chair. His shoulder and side were much better, he was amazed in past seven days how much he'd healed. When Kitagawa had told him that he wouldn't need the heavy pain medication in just a week, he hadn't believed him. Now it had been almost eight hours since his last dose and he was just starting to get uncomfortable. His ribs seemed to hurt more and his back, but neither matched the pain his shoulder had been giving him. For the first time he felt like he was really going to heal.

"Do you think it's a good idea to let Keiko help us?" Kyou asked suddenly. "I thought we were just going to leave. Now the people here are going to know where we went."

Yuki sighed. "I don't see as we have much choice. I don't think that we have anything to worry about from Mai-san and Ginta-san. But I wish there was a way to convince Keiko-san that we a justified in hiding like this."

"I'm not worried." Tooru said, fighting back a yawn. A week had done wonders for her. She still looked like she needed to eat more, and tired easily, but she didn't have hollows under her eyes any more. She wasn't as pale. She smiled more and had more energy. Yuki regretted having to take her away so soon. "Keiko-san is a good person."

Yuki and Kyou exchanged glances. That really wasn't the point.

"So we're done for now, right?" Kyou said standing and stretching. He was ready for a bath, and bed.

"If we're all agreed to ask for the senior apartment." Yuki said, gathering up his papers. He looked at Tooru. "I'm sorry Honda-san, our next place will have a kitchen."

Tooru just waved her hand, hiding another yawn. "Yes, next time."

Kyou mussed her hair absently. "So what are we doing tomorrow then?"

"Honda-san and I have to study." Yuki said, standing up and stretching. It was still new enough that when a simple move like that didn't send him into a spasm he marveled.

Kyou sighed. "I'll go around Enoki's then and see if he knows of anyone who's looking for help." He'd brushed paths with the local handyman enough times that Enoki had started leaving messages at the Iwaya's when he had to turn down a simple job. He held out his hand for Tooru to help herself out of the booth.

"I want-" Tooru started then interrupted herself with a huge yawn, "I want to get up early and make breakfast for everyone. I'll make Kyou-kun a lunch."

"For everyone?" Yuki asked. "The Iwayas...?"

"Yes." Tooru said. "It might be silly, because I'm using their food, but if we're leaving soon I want to take this chance to say thank you."

"That sounds like a good idea." Yuki said. "Keiko-san's room has an alarm. Do you want me to set it?"

"Yes please." Tooru said, leaning slightly on Kyou. She looked like she could drift off right there on her feet.

::0::0::

Tooru lay on the bed fighting to stay awake while Yuki set the clock. She didn't want to close her eyes and then open them and have Yuki and Kyou disappear.

"Oi." Kyou whispered, bending close. "Go to sleep. Wake us when you get up."

"But-" Tooru started, shifting to her back so that she was nose to nose with Kyou.

"Sleep." He repeated, pressing his forehead to hers briefly and then stepping back. She was so touchy-feely these days it was rubbing off on him.

"We'll see Honda-san in the morning." Yuki said, standing by the light switch. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight." Tooru said, and let sleep take her.

"Stay on your half." Kyou said as he slid into his futon. He'd separated the futons, but only to make them two distinct beds. Tooru still crawled in from time to time, and he wanted to keep a place for her. The down side was that the Rat tended to wander over onto the futon as often as she did.

Yuki took one of his pillows and stuffed it into the gap between them. "It's not like I _want_ to snuggle up to you, Baka Neko."

"Could have fooled me, Nezumi." Kyou snorted. He shifted in place, trying to get comfortable. The truth was, while he didn't want the Rat up against his back, the absence of warmth there made it hard for him to relax. "Do you think she'll sleep through the night?" It was encouraging that she was asleep already. Usually it was her wandering to another room when she couldn't that got them in trouble.

"Let's hope." Yuki said.

"Don't you go anywhere either." Kyou reminded.

"You could try and stop me." Yuki sighed.

"Yeah right." Kyou sighed. "I like my head on my shoulders thanks."

::0::0::

It was dark and there was a heavy weight pressing down on her chest. She couldn't breathe and she was cold. She couldn't tell if her eyes were open or closed it was too dark. "Yuki-kun?" She whispered. "Kyou-kun?" She tried blinking her eyes, was it getting lighter? Why was she so cold?

No one answered and she shifted trying to get out from underneath the weight that was pressing down on her. She pressed up with her hands but it wouldn't budge. "Kyou-kun!" She tried to yell but couldn't get enough air in her lungs. "Yuki-kun!" Why wasn't anyone answering?

There was something wispy and soft around her face. It was becoming gray and light, and she was starting to be able to see. What was that over her? Boards, rough wooden boards? And a shoulder? Tooru struggled again against the weight, a sick feeling pooling in her stomach. "YUKI-KUN! KYOU-KUN!"

She turned her head and found herself staring at Yuki's cold, blue face. His eyes were open and staring. She reached down to her stomach. Kyou's fur was damp and his body was cold, cold, cold. He wasn't breathing. Neither of them were breathing.

The restaurant, going back to school, getting a place of their own, it had all been a dream. The reality was she was laying in the wet, trapped under the bodies of Yuki and Kyou.

::0::0::

Kyou was out of Kazuya's room before he even fully woke up. All he knew was that Tooru was screaming. Yuki was hot on his heels, they both pushed into Keiko's room together. Mai and Ginta were stumbling out of their room. Kazuya was looking out of the doorway to his room, spooked.

Tooru was screaming, tangled up in the sheets. Yuki flipped on the lights while Kyou flew over to the bed.

"Tooru! Wake up!" Kyou grabbed at her hand. "Wake up!"

"Honda-san." Yuki said, coming up behind him.

Tooru's eyes flew open. "Yuki-kun, Kyou-kun!" She scrambled back against the wall, sobbing. "Yuki-kun was blue, and Kyou-kun wasn't breathing!" She was hysterical.

Yuki knelt by the bed helplessly, he wanted nothing more then to draw her into an embrace. He wouldn't even have minded transforming. But the Iwaya's were crowding in behind them and they couldn't risk it. "It was just a dream Honda-san. A nightmare."

"We're right here." Kyou said, climbing up on the bed and trying to get close without getting too close. "Don't cry."

Mai glanced at them, wondering why they didn't do the one thing the girl obviously needed. "Sweetie!" she said and reached for her, her arms open. "It's fine. You're safe."

Tooru flew into her embrace, Mai was too large for her to get her arms around but she could feel that she was warm and solid and real. Her sobs slowed as Mai rubbed her back and she started to feel foolish for being so upset. She drew back and wiped her eyes. She held out her hand to Kyou, who was hunched on the bed beside her. He squeezed it, his face tight with concern and worry. She looked down at Yuki squatting by the bed and held out her other hand to him. He reached up to weave her fingers through his and tried to give her a supportive smile, but it was weak and uncertain.

"Honda-san?" He said softly. She looked so fragile.

"I dreamed that Yuki-kun was dead." She said in a whisper. Tears started to pool in her eyes and drip down her cheeks. "And Kyou-kun, I couldn't see Kyou-kun but he was so cold... that I knew... he too... I was all alone."

Kyou scooted a little closer, and pushed her hair back. "Stupid. It was a bad dream."

"Maybe some tea, dear?" Mai suggested. "Calm those nerves?"

"We'll used your mother's method." Yuki said suddenly. "Like you taught us."

"M-mother's method?" Tooru repeated.

"You remember." Kyou said, nodding. "A story, while the tea brews..."

"And a treat afterwards." Yuki said, glancing at Mai. "I'm sure we can find something in the kitchen."

"Yes." Tooru said, nodding. She slid towards the edge of the bed. "I'd like that, please."

"Mai-san doesn't mind?" Tooru was still trembling from the dream, it took both Yuki and Kyou helping to get her to stand. Kyou fussed with her hair, pushing it over her shoulders while Yuki rubbed her chilled hands between his to warm them.

"No, not at all... I'll just go down-"

"We can do it." Kyou said shortly. "We know where everything is."

"We don't want to keep Mai-san up." Yuki said more diplomatically. "We're sorry for waking you."

"I'm sorry." Tooru repeated, the scare wearing off enough to make her start to feel embarrassed. "I'm very sorry for waking everyone up."

"Not the kind of thing a body can prevent." Ginta shrugged. "Let's get back to bed, missus."

"But-" Mai protested.

"Let them deal with this." He said softly to her. "I think they may need some time alone."

Mai sighed. "Don't be up too late," she scolded as she followed Ginta out of the room. She looked over her shoulder. "And there is some sherbet in the back of the freezer, top shelf. Strawberry and melon, please help yourself."

"Thank you Mai-san." Tooru said, Kyou pushing her to follow out the door and Yuki tugging her towards the stairs. She glanced at Kazuya, still in his doorway. "I'm so sorry." She apologized again.

"To bed." Ginta said pointing at Kazuya. "You still have school."

"Yes, sir." Kazuya nodded, but stayed in the doorway while the trio went down the stairs. He glanced behind him at the abandoned futons on the floor of his room. "Um, Ma...?"

::0::0::

Kyou took out the teapot, the small one Mai used for the family, and filled it with water. He glanced at Yuki and Tooru standing by prep counter. Tooru was leaning against the Rat's good shoulder and he was rubbing her back slowly.

"So," He said awkwardly. "I'm making the tea, so you've got to tell the story Rat."

"Me?" Yuki said. "But..." He paused, glancing at Tooru. "I don't know any stories."

"We've only got till the whistle blows." Kyou snorted, waggling the pot over the burner. "So think of something fast, something short."

"Why me? Why not you?" Yuki protested, stepping away from Tooru to point an accusing finger at Kyou. "You're just putting it on me because you can't think of anything Baka Neko!"

"Kuso Nezumi!" Kyou stepped forward and waving the teapot in the air. "So what if I can't? You're supposed to be the smart one!"

Tooru gave weak smile. "Kyou-kun is going to spill the water." She put her hand over his and guided the teapot onto the burner. She leaned for a minute against his shoulder, breathing deep. Kyou and Yuki each had a smell all their own, a different feeling, and she wanted to reassure herself that both were equally alive.

"Do you want a hug?" Kyou blurted. "I mean, like that one the other morning-"

Tooru looked up at him in surprise, her eyes dampening and a shiver ran through her. "Yes, please." She managed, opening her arms.

Kyou didn't want to turn away from her so she could hold him, so he decided to do it the way Yuki had and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. She clutched at him barely remembering to keep enough space between them. She buried her face in his shoulder, Kyou had gotten so tall when she hadn't been paying attention. Kyou dug his nose into her hair and held her as tight as he could.

Yuki stepped forward hesitantly. He put his hands on her shoulders, unsure if he should intrude.

Tooru flinched and looked up. "Yuki-kun!"

He started to back away, afraid he'd misjudged.

"No." Tooru said quickly. "Please."

Yuki stepped closer, sliding his hands down, over her arms, finally looping around her waist. He rested his cheek against the top of her head. She was still so small. His hands could hold her around the waist easily, and he had to stoop get close to her.

She gave a full body shudder. Kyou and Yuki both felt the tension she'd been holding in her melt out of her.

"Maybe you should tell a story." Kyou said, running his hand through her hair. "I mean... if that's okay? I know it should be one of us, but-" He lifted his head and glanced at Yuki. The mouse shrugged, he couldn't think of anything either.

"When I had nightmares I always asked Mother to tell me the story about the Cat of the Zodiac." Tooru said with an ironic smile. "I never got tired of it."

The teapot whistled and they broke apart. "But I don't need that story anymore." Tooru said with a contented sigh as she took the water off of the heat. She stroked at her bracelet. "Because I have both Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun here with me, I'm part of the story now."

Yuki and Kyou exchanged guilty looks. They wished they could have made their story less of an adventure. Tooru finished making the tea.

"I'll get the sherbet." Kyou said. "You want strawberry?"

"Yes, please." Tooru said, setting up a tray with teacups and the teapot.

"I'll get the bowls and spoons." Yuki offered.

They chose a small booth in the dark restaurant. They didn't even bother to turn on any lights, the streetlights bright enough for them. It was homey and reassuring, crowded around with clinking spoons. They didn't speak, not wanting to complicate the relieved mood.

When they were done they washed their bowls, and put away the teapot, and did everything they could to avoid going back upstairs. They linked their hands at the bottom of the stairwell.

"I can't wait to get our own place." Kyou sighed. They knew that getting up the top of the stairs meant that they'd have to separate again.

Tooru swallowed. She'd gotten rid of the first blush of fear, but her stomach was starting to reject the sherbet and tea at the thought of having to go to sleep alone.

"Soon," Yuki said. "Less than a week now. We'll take our test on Monday, and then we'll be in. By Friday we'll be in our apartment." He looked at Tooru. "Honda-san, can wait until then, can't she?"

"Yes." Tooru said, but her lip trembled when she said it. She hated that she was making them worry. Her resolve was strong but it was like her whole body was resisting the thought of being alone.

"We'll stay with you till you fall asleep." Kyou promised. He held up their joined hands. "It's the last part, right?"

Tooru nodded. "Yes, thank you." She took a deep breath and started up the stairs.

They looked at the floor of Keiko's room in shock. Yuki and Kyou's futons had been moved to the floor between the bed and the desk. There was barely room for both of them, they'd had to move the chair of the desk to the back corner to make it fit.

Yuki glanced at Tooru. "Honda-san, why don't you get your pillow and blanket from the bed."

"Is there enough room for all of us?" She asked, but moved immediately to get her things.

"We fit the other night." Kyou reminded her.

"We'll have to thank Mai-san tomorrow." Tooru said.

"Does Honda-san still want to get up early and try to make breakfast?" Yuki asked, looking at the clock. They only had a few hours to sleep.

"Yes," Tooru flopped happily on the seam between the two futons. "I'll make omelettes. I'll put extra cheese in Yuki-kun's." She rolled onto her back and looked up at them.

Yuki and Kyou glanced at each other. She looked so cute, so sweet and eager. She wasn't going to make it easy for them to sleep tonight.

Yuki turned out the lights and stepped toward the bed. "I'll look forward to it Honda-san." He crawled onto his futon, and Kyou followed quickly behind.

They settled in, shifted, getting comfortable. They ended up on their sides, Tooru's arm was over Kyou's hip so she could hold his hand and Yuki draped his arm over her hip to hold the other. Tooru closed her eyes and sighed. This was how she wanted every night to be.

::0::0::

Yuki woke up when he felt something pressing against his back. He blinked at the clock, it was a few hours past when they'd laid down and only an hour till he'd set the alarm. He glanced over his shoulder. At some point he'd turned away from Tooru in his sleep and she'd reversed their usual positions. Now she was pressed up against his back and her hand was splayed across his stomach.

Her fingers gripped lightly at his shirt-top and he shivered at the sensation. She froze and he realized she wasn't doing it in her sleep.

"Honda-san?" He whispered softly. "Are you okay?"

"Is it okay if I hold Yuki-kun for a little longer?" She whispered back.

"Yes." Yuki said, though he wondered what she was thinking.

She tightened her grip on him and pressed herself up against his back. "I didn't think that Yuki-kun would wake up." She confessed. "But I just wanted to feel him for a little while."

Yuki swallowed heavily. She'd spooned herself across the length of his back. He could feel her chest pressing into him."Honda-san's dream scared her, didn't it?" he said to distract himself.

"Yes," her voice was muffled, and he could feel her words through the back of his shirt. "I really thought that Yuki-kun was gone."

"I'm right here." Yuki assured her. "Right here." Tooru's hand rubbed at his stomach, slipping through his shirt to feel his skin. He clapped his hand over hers in surprise. "Honda-san!" He blurted.

"Sorry." Tooru said her hand making a fist under his, her fingernails scraping lightly at his skin. "I just wanted to feel Yuki-kun. He was so cold in my dream. I'm sorry."

"I-it's okay." He said. "It's just, Honda-san has to remember that I'm a guy." He ducked his chin against his chest, horribly embarrassed. He was a teenage boy, it didn't take touches to make his body react, but touches like _that_ made it inevitable.

"A guy?" Tooru repeated. She pressed a little closer. "I don't understand?"

"Honda-san." Yuki squeaked. He turned his head into his pillow. "Please, I mean... How does Honda-san think of me?" Did she really not feel anything for him that way? Every day it got harder to take her little touches and strokes and not reciprocate with kisses and intimate embraces. Did she not think that way at all?

"I love Yuki-kun." She said, still confused.

"But... Does Honda-san think of me as... a boyfriend?" Yuki asked. "I know that Honda-san has feelings for Kyou too, but for me Honda-san is the only one. When she touches me that way... it makes me..." He trailed off too embarrassed to continue.

"It makes Yuki-kun...?" She prompted.

"My body reacts." Yuki whispered, only the pure quiet of the room allowing Tooru to hear him. His hand tightened over hers. "Honda-san, I love you." The words were getting easier to say with practice, and he hoped she realized that didn't lessen the strength of the feeling behind them. "It's normal, I think, for boyfriends to want to touch, and kiss and _do things_ with their girlfriends. But I don't know if that's how Honda-san feels about me. I don't know what Honda-san thinks of me, or if she thinks of me at all that way. I don't know if I'm right in thinking of you as my girlfriend, especially since I know that Honda-san has feelings for Kyou too. I don't know if Honda-san feels _that_ way about me."

He held his breath, waiting for her response.

There was a long pause. "Yuki-kun means, do I think of him as my boyfriend?" Tooru repeated. She felt him nod. Her heart was going a mile a minute, beating like it was trying to escape her chest. She tugged his shoulders wanting to look at him. He turned over, but didn't look at her. He was afraid of what he might see.

She stroked his cheek and he finally looked up. "I never thought of Yuki-kun, or Kyou-kun, as my "boyfriends." Yuki started to look away, hurt. But she stopped him, leaning up to kiss the side of his mouth. "I think of them as my "everything."

"But-" Yuki protested.

"Yuki-kun," Tooru interrupted. "I never thought about, I mean, I never really thought about what I want from Yuki and Kyou. I know I want to get closer, and I want more...more and more of Yuki-kun every day. I want more and more of Kyou-kun... of both of them." She ducked her head and pressed forward, pressing her forehead to the base of his neck. "It doesn't mean that Yuki-kun doesn't make me react too. Sometimes just looking at him makes my skin feel hot and I don't know what to do." She whispered, her breath against his collarbone. "But right now, I just want to hold Yuki-kun and be held by him. Is that too much to ask? Does it make Yuki-kun uncomfortable?"

"No, not at all." Yuki said, choked up. He let her arms weave around his neck and he put his arms around her. They were careful not to wind too close.

"The rest of it..." Tooru whispered, her breath hot against his skin, "we'll figure out later."

Yuki gave a weak chuckle. "Soon. We better figure it out soon. I don't mean to rush Honda-san but I don't know how much more of this I can take."

::0::0::

The alarm went off and Tooru was the first to shoot up. She quickly shut it off and then flopped back on the futon. Morning had come much, much too early. She glanced to the side and smiled. Yuki's hair, which was long enough now to brush against his shoulders, was spread back across his pillow and he hadn't even moved when she'd jumped up. He was still blissfully sleeping. She wondered if he knew how beautiful he'd become in the time they'd spent up in the mountain. If the girls at school could see him now they'd faint. She wondered if he'd get a fan club at their new school. It was probably inevitable.

She looked over and found Kyou watching her from his futon. He was awake, but looked tired and like he'd be willing to drift back to sleep. He yawned. "You didn't tell nobody but us about making breakfast." He said scratching his stomach. "If you want to sleep more, it's fine."

"No, I want to get up." Tooru said. "I haven't cooked in a long time... and our new place won't have a kitchen." She smiled. "I'm looking forward to this." She rolled closer to him. She hadn't been lying last night. The urge to get closer to Kyou and Yuki was nearly impossible to deny. She looked at Kyou's lips, thinking of Yuki's comments. Boyfriends kissed their girlfriends. She'd kissed each of them once, but even when he'd done it she'd wondered if Kyou's kiss really qualified. It was so short and quick and light. She wondered what it would feel like if he kissed her "for real."

Kyou started to blush under her strange intense stare. "What?"

"Nothing." Tooru said, her cheeks burning a deep red. She glanced away and levered herself up on her elbows, kicking her legs. "I was just thinking..." She glanced back at him.

Kyou felt the glance shoot through him like an arrow. It was the most "come hither" look he'd ever seen directed his way, and nothing he'd ever imagined seeing on her face. "Th-thinking about what?"

"Nothing." She said, her cheeks still hot. She found herself glancing at his lips again.

"It doesn't look like nothing." Kyou muttered, glancing away and back uncomfortably.

"I was just wondering..." Tooru twisted her fingers together. Kyou was always more physically affectionate then Yuki was. As she'd become more tactile, he'd reciprocated by touching her more. If she said she wanted to be kissed, how would he react?

"Wondering?" Kyou asked moving closer.

"What it would be like to kiss Kyou-kun." She whispered.

Kyou's face flamed bright red and he sat up, suddenly very wide awake. "What?"

Tooru flopped down flat on her stomach, hiding her face in her pillow.

"Hey, no fair!" Kyou said, pushing her hair out of the way to try to look at her. "You can't say something like that and then just hide."

She peeped up at him from her pillow.

"C'mere." Kyou said gruffly, he sat back on his heels. His cheeks were stamped with color, but his crimson eyes were liquid.

Tooru sat up slowly, fighting the urge to bury her face in her hands like a child.

Kyou leaned forward so that their foreheads were touching. He hesitantly brought his hands up to cup her face, before smoothing her hair out of the way. Tooru's eyes fluttered closed and she tilted her chin up, expecting to feel his lips.

"What brought this on?" He asked instead.

Tooru's eyes popped open in surprise. Kyou's eyes were searching her face, looking for something. It dawned on her that he probably felt, like Yuki did, confused about what she wanted from him.

"Last night," Tooru started hesitantly. She didn't know what to do with her hands so she put them on his hips so she could lean against him better. He flinched a little and she bit her lip. "Last night I was talking to Yuki-kun." She glanced away, "I wanted to hold him because, in my dream he was so cold, and while he lay sleeping he was so still. So I..." she gestured with her arms before settling back on his hips. "Like I held Kyou-kun after he showed us his kata. He woke up."

"He woke up?" Kyou repeated.

Tooru looked up at his tone. "I was surprised too." She said softly. "He said it was okay if I kept holding him, but then I moved a little like..." She moved her hand off his hips to stroke at his stomach with her thumb, just above the waistband of his pants.

Kyou yelped and scooted back.

"What are you doing?" He covered his waist with his hands, like she might grab for him again. "You can't just do stuff like that!"

"Yuki-kun said that too." Tooru said. She curled up behind her knees, rocking a little. She peeked at Kyou then looked away. "Yuki-kun said..."

"He said what?"

"That it made him _react_, because he thought of me like a girlfriend. That he didn't understand how I thought of him, or Kyou-kun." Tooru peeped at him again. "He said that he didn't know if I thought of Yuki-kun, or Kyou-kun, the same way, as a boyfriend."

"Do you?" Kyou asked, crossing his legs Indian style and looking at her seriously.

Tooru didn't answer. She looked away from him. "He said that boyfriends wanted to do things with their girlfriends."

"Things?" Kyou repeated. "Like what?" He crawled back over to her.

"Like holding, and kissing, and _things._" She said peeking up at him and away. "Does Kyou-kun want to do those things too?"

"What kind of question is that!?" Kyou's face was flaming and he scrubbed a hand through his hair. "I love you! Of course I do! Don't you?" How could she ask that when she'd spent the past week touching, feeling and getting so close and not know he felt the same? She'd just asked him to _kiss_ her. He couldn't understand her.

Tooru just ducked her head further into her knees.

"You can't ask questions like that and not say anything!" Kyou said angrily. "What? What is it? Is it that you want to do those things with the Rat and not me?"

"No, no!" Tooru uncurled herself. She put her hands over Kyou's, bringing them together on his knees. It always came down to "either" and "or" with them. "For me, it's both Yuki and Kyou."

"I don't get that." Kyou said bitterly. "For me, I can't imagine anyone else but you, wanting anyone else but you. How can you want both of us?"

"I can't help it." Tooru said helplessly. "Its like.." She tried to think of a way to describe it, "I need both Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun, like I need food and water."

Kyou shook his head slowly. He stared at her with his intense crimson eyes. "I don't get it." He looked away from her. "You wanted to make breakfast, right? You better get up."

Tooru nodded and ran a finger over her lips. He hadn't kissed her, instead they'd fought. She was hurting him and she didn't know how to stop. "Yes, what kind of omelet would Kyou-kun like? Rice?"

"Anything is fine." He said stiffly. "I'm going to go get dressed. You should wake the Rat up." He stalked out of the room, cursing himself. He'd let a perfectly good opportunity to kiss her slip through his fingers and even worse, they'd fought. He'd practically pushed her away.

Tooru looked down at Yuki, still peacefully sleeping. She was hurting him too. But she knew she couldn't decide between them.

She couldn't ever remember actually fighting with Kyou before. He scolded her plenty of times, but she'd never felt that he was really _mad _at her before. It unsettled her. She didn't know what to say to soothe him. What if he didn't forgive her?

She got dressed and pulled out her toiletries. She glanced down at Yuki. She was tempted to leave him sleeping, but she knew as little as he liked to rise early he hated being late even more.

"Yuki-kun." She squatted and gently shook his good shoulder. "It's time to get up."

He made a small whimper of protest and tried to snuggle deeper into his pillow.

"Yuki-kun." She said, her tone a little more urgent. He blinked and sighed, slowly coming to himself.

"Honda-san?" He yawned, rolling to his back and scrubbing his face. "Did the alarm go off?" He frowned, squinting at her. "You're dressed already. How late is it?"

"Not very late." She said. "No one but us is up yet."

Yuki glanced to the side. "Kyou?"

"Kyou-kun is getting dressed." Tooru said. Something about her tone pulled his attention back to her.

"What's wrong?"

Tooru looked down, tracing a wrinkle in the sheet with a finger. "Kyou-kun is mad at me."

Yuki levered himself up on his elbows. "What? Why?" He couldn't imagine the cat being actually angry at Tooru. He tended to show his concern with gruffness and irritation, but actually mad at her? Never.

Tooru hesitated. They had declared their "I love yous" and promises to stay together, and they were making plans to move some place together and making plans for the future. But they hadn't figured out their relationship, she wasn't sure of the boundaries of where her relationship with each boy started and ended. She'd told Kyou about holding Yuki, was it okay to tell Yuki that she'd asked Kyou to kiss her?

Yuki blushed, remembering how they'd fallen asleep last night, wound around each other. "Was it... did I do something after I fell asleep?" He asked.

Tooru's head flew up, and she went equally crimson. "No!" She stood quickly. "Eh, ah... I've got to brush my teeth and start breakfast." She stood and fled the room.

Yuki watched her go, embarrassed and confused. He slowly got to his feet. He took a moment to fold the futons. He was a little awkward with his back stiff first thing in the morning. He tried to sort out what had happened. He shook his head. He didn't have enough information. He had to talk to Kyou. He left Keiko's room just in time to see Tooru duck down the stairs, still blushing. Kyou was standing in Kazuya's doorway holding his toothbrush, he watched her leave with a frown.

He glanced at Yuki and made his way to the bathroom without speaking. Yuki shook his head again and went into Kazuya's room to get dressed and get his own toothbrush. When he reached the bathroom Kyou was just leaning on the counter staring into the sink.

"I just need to brush my teeth." Yuki said. "Do you mind?"

Kyou straightened and stood, wetting his own brush and squeezing out some toothpaste. "Yeah, whatever."

Yuki watched him out of the corner of his eye as he brushed his teeth. The cat kept spacing out, by the time Yuki finished brushing his teeth the cat had been working on his uppers for five minutes.

Yuki glanced at the cat, surprised that Kyou hadn't gotten upset at his obvious attention. Usually he couldn't stand it.

He cleared his throat. "Honda-san said that you're mad at her."

Kyou froze. He took the toothbrush out of his mouth and blinked at Yuki. He closed his eyes and cursed around a mouthful of toothpaste. He threw his toothbrush in the sink, turned on the taps angrily and spat out. He wiped his mouth and started cursing.

Yuki had never thought of himself as particularly sheltered. He'd come to realize how little he knew of the world since they'd run away. But it wasn't until now that he realized how lacking his vocabulary was. Kyou was using words he'd never heard of in combinations he'd never imagined to describe acts he was pretty sure weren't physically possible or recommended.

"I'm not mad at her." He said finally.

"Ah." Yuki said.

"She just..." Kyou grabbed his toothbrush out of the sink. "She just keeps making it so weird."

It dawned on him something of what might be bothering Kyou. "What did she do to you?" Yuki asked.

Kyou glanced at Yuki. "She asked me to kiss her, and when I asked why she said it was because _you_ said boyfriends liked to _do things_ with their girlfriends." He leaned back against the sink. "How the hell did that come up?"

Yuki flushed. "I woke up last night and she was...all pressed up against my back and her hand..." He spread it across his stomach, "She was doing this thing with her nails..." His fingers curled in imitation without thinking, and Yuki looked away. "I asked her to remember that I was a guy before she did that kind of thing. She said she didn't understand."

Kyou snorted and pushed his way out of the bathroom, startling a sleepy Kazuya who was just headed in. Yuki followed him as he darted into Keiko's room to put away his things.

"It's not like she has any more experience with this kind of thing then we do." Yuki reminded Kyou as he packed away his toothbrush. They'd gotten a little lax, but they were still keeping most of their belongings packed up in case they had to duck out suddenly. "She's just as confused as we are."

"I'm not confused." Kyou said. "I know what I want." He looked away from Yuki. "I want her, and only her."

"You think I don't?" Yuki asked, getting mad. "Do you think I want you around making things strange? But it doesn't matter what we want. For some reason she wants both of us, and we promised-"

"I haven't forgotten!" Kyou said standing.

"Then go apologize to her." Yuki said looking away. Why was he trying to mend the rift between Kyou and her? He was just a stupid, idiotic cat, and it wasn't that he wanted the cat to be kissing Tooru. But, they were about to start a new life, the three of them. And while they hadn't sorted out all the details yet they didn't want to start off with a fight.

"I didn't do anything to apologize for." Kyou crossed his arms and looked at his feet.

Yuki threw his hands up in the air. "At least let her know you're not mad at her."

"Whatever." Kyou said, stomping past him. "You should be wearing your sling." He tossed over his shoulder.

Yuki used one of the new curse words he learned and dug it out. He'd completely forgotten about it. He rolled his shoulder before putting it on, he didn't feel like he needed it anymore. Kitagawa had said he'd only need it for about a week. If he was right, then he didn't have to wear it tomorrow. He was out of pain medicine too, but he'd been taking just regular pain medication and feeling fine. He wondered if he should go by Kitagawa's office to make sure he'd been doing everything right. It might be his last opportunity to get medical care before they left. He resolved to ask Mai at breakfast.

He nearly bumped into her and Ginta as started down the stairs.

"I thought you all would still be sleeping." Ginta said, for once wearing something other then his cook's hat and white cook shirt. Instead he was wearing a dark beat up flannel and a pair of jeans. It looked odd and out of place on him.

Not sure how Tooru wanted to present her surprise, he just shrugged. "We have studying to do."

Mai gestured for him to precede them down the stairs. "Surely you didn't have to get up this early for that."

Yuki paused on the bottom step of the stairs. Kyou was holding Tooru to his shoulder, one of the many improvised embraces they'd discovered that nearly took the place of a standard hug. Loudly he said, "Mai-san, I was wondering if you knew if Kitagawa-sensei would be in his office today?"

They broke apart, Kyou was blushing and Tooru's eyes were dewy. Obviously the Cat had made his amends. Yuki felt a strange tumble in his insides, and wondered if someone could be jealous and relieved at the same time.

"Only in the morning." Mai said, starting to clump down after him. "He only has a full office day on Tuesdays."

"I thought he said he was retired?" Yuki glanced back at Tooru and Kyou. The Cat was studiously taking out place settings while Tooru finished up a set of omelettes.

Ginta laughed. "He keeps saying that, but he doesn't know when to stop working, that one. I suspect he'll stop when he falls over."

"What's all this?" Mai said as Yuki moved aside to let them into the kitchen.

"Good morning Mai-san!" Tooru said cheerily. "I hope you don't mind. I made breakfast. I wanted to thank Mai-san for everything."

"You got the grill going okay by yourself?" Ginta asked, surprised.

"Yes," Tooru nodded. "I did it just like Ginta-san does each morning." She gasped. "Ginta-san doesn't mind that I used his grill?"

"What? No!" Ginta said quickly. "I'm just surprised. Kazuya still has problems with it. So," he clapped his hands. "What are we having?"

"Rice omelets!" Tooru said happily. "I've made Yuki-kun's and Kyou-kun's because I know how they like theirs. Do Mai-san and Ginta-san like theirs with ketchup?"

"Oh, honey," Mai said waving her hands. "You don't have to do that!"

"I want to!" Tooru insisted. Yuki and Kyou knew from the expression on her face that she wouldn't be put off. She looked at them. "Yuki-kun's is ready." She handed him a plate. "Omerice with cheese. And Kyou-kun's." She said handing Kyou a plate. "Rice omelet with ketchup." She looked up at Mai and Ginta.

"I like my ketchup on the side. Mai likes hers plain." Ginta said. "Isn't this a treat, dear?"

"I'll make tea." Mai said, wringing her hands. "You boys go and eat before it gets cold." They didn't wait to be told twice.

"It's made already." Tooru smiled. "And Kyou-kun set the table." She looked at the door to the outside. "Is Hiroki-san coming in?" She started their omelets.

"He usually sleeps late and cooks for himself on days off." Ginta said shaking his head. She was a better cook then he'd realized. Quick, efficient and organized, he'd been wasting her as just a prep chef.

"How does Kazuya-kun like his?" Tooru asked, sliding their finished omelets onto the counter.

"He likes his with lots of ketchup on top." Ginta said, handing his wife her plate. "Thank you very much. This was unnecessary, but very appreciated."

"Your welcome!" Tooru said cheerily.

::0::0::

"Everything seems to be going well." Kitagawa said as Yuki re-buttoned his shirt. "In fact I'm surprised at how much mobilization you've managed to recover in just a week." He wrote out something on a pad. "I am going to write you out another prescription, since I hear you'll be traveling soon. People do stupid things when they move into a new place, lifting heavy boxes and things. This is just in case." He tore it off and handed it to Yuki.

"Thank you." He said doubtfully. They didn't have any heavy belongings to lift.

"Don't look so worried, son." Kitagawa said cheerfully. "You'll be in tip top shape in a few months if you stick to the regimen I've given you. I think you're safe do to light exercises like that tai-chi or whatever you were telling me about last time."

"I'm not worried." Yuki said, tucking away the prescription. "How did you hear we'd be leaving?" He shook his head. "Never mind." The answer was obvious, Mai.

"I hear you brought your young lady with you?" Kitagawa asked.

"Yes, Honda-san is waiting outside." Yuki kind of liked having someone refer to her as "his young lady."

"Call her in here, will you?" Kitagawa pulled out a tray. "I'd like to follow up with her on how she's feeling." He'd checked up on the three of them at the restaurant, even going so far to draw blood to make sure they hadn't picked up any diseases while living rough up on the mountain. They'd gotten a clean bill, but Tooru had come back slightly anemic. He'd said that as she gained weight it would probably go away but it was something they should watch.

"I'll go get her." Yuki nodded. Tooru had come along, not wanting to stay at the closed restaurant alone after Kyou had left to find work. She'd also made Kitagawa a lunch, since he was adamant as Mai about not accepting money for his services. She'd be glad for the opportunity to give it to him.

"Yuki-kun is okay?" Tooru asked as they walked into Kitagawa's office. Yuki blushed, embarrassed, pleased and annoyed that she was both so concerned for him and didn't believe him when he said he was okay.

"He's getting there." Kitagawa nodded kindly. "Now let's give you a look-see." He quizzed her about her health and general well being as he listened to her breathing, took her pulse, and blood pressure.

"So the only problem is your sleeping?" Kitagawa asked, finishing up and writing down a few final notes.

"I sleep fine... but there are nightmares if I'm alone." Tooru reached out her hand and Yuki threaded his fingers through hers without thinking.

Kitagawa pursed is lips, noting the link. He pulled up a chair. "I suspect that sleeping alone won't be an issue in your new place?"

Tooru blinked and glanced at Yuki. "Um."

Kitagawa tapped at his notepad with artificial nonchalance. "Have you thought about how you will be handling birth control?"

"Ehhh!?" Tooru hid her face in her hands.

Yuki stumbled back, completely shocked at the turn in the conversation.

"That's... I mean... it hasn't been an issue..." Yuki stuttered. "_Isn't_ an issue... that is..." He stared at the ceiling, the floor, looking anywhere but at Tooru.

"If you aren't ready to talk about prevention, or be a parent," Kitagawa said blandly, "you aren't ready for that kind of activity."

"We never said we were!" Yuki yelled. Tooru had clapped her hands over her ears. She'd barely started thinking about _kissing_ much less anything else.

"Well, than think of this as a "just in case" as well." Kitagawa said, writing off another prescription. He gently took Tooru's hands off her ears and pressed a the paper into her numb fingers. "It's the most commonly used brand. If you have any questions, ask the pharmacist. That's what he's there for."

Tooru looked at the prescription in her hand and at Yuki then Kitagawa. "Um, ah..."

Kitagawa glanced at Yuki. "Perhaps it's something you'd feel more comfortable talking about, just you and I?"

"No!" Tooru said quickly. She glanced at Yuki, blushing. "I trust Yuki-kun." She fumbled with the prescription. "Its, that is, I wasn't expecting..."

Kitagawa sat back in his chair. "You remember our discussions about "shock," yes?"

"Yes." Yuki said stiffly. He just knew that Mai had a hand in this, somehow.

"When people go through a traumatic event, it's not unusual afterwards for them to put themselves in risky situations, emotionally and physically, as a way of dealing with it." Kitagawa looked between them. "When under that kind of stress, the people don't always make the best decisions."

"Kitagawa-san is worried about us." Tooru said.

"That's putting it mildly." Kitagawa agreed. "I'd feel better if you had some sort of support network where you are going. Mai tells me you don't have anyone."

"We have each other." Yuki said firmly.

"That hadn't gotten you too far the first time we met." Kitagawa reminded him. He sighed. "I know Mai has offered her home to you, and you've refused it. I hope it's not due to pressure from Keiko. Just because you can leave, doesn't mean you should."

"Keiko-san is helping us." Tooru stood. "But it's because Mai-san, Ginta-san and Doctor Kitagawa have been so kind that we can stand on our own now." She carefully folded the prescription into a square and tucked it away in her pocket. "Everyone has been very generous. But as Mother used to say, strength is using the gifts you've been given to the fullest. If we don't stand on our own, all the kindness everyone has given us will be wasted." She patted her pocket. "We haven't figured out everything yet. But we'll use this kindness when it's time." She smiled at Kitagawa. "Thank you so much."

Kitagawa sighed. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a card. "You'll be going beyond where I can do you much good... But if you need anything, anything at all, please don't hesitate to call."

"Thank you." Tooru said taking the card. "Ah, I have something for Kitagawa-sensei too." She picked up the bento lunch. "It's not much," she fussed, "But Mai-san said that Kitagawa-sensei liked cutlets very much, so I made him some sandwiches."

"Thank you!" Kitagawa said. "That is a treat, especially today."

"Because the restaurant is closed." Tooru nodded. Kitagawa, a widower, usually ate at the Iwaya's for every meal.

"Yes, usually I go to the convenience store and pick something up. This will be a pleasant change." Kitagawa smiled and then sighed again. "I suppose there is nothing I can say to change your mind about leaving?"

"No sir." Yuki said firmly. "I know its hard to understand, but we do have to leave. For us, it's not really a choice."

::0::0::

Kyou wasn't back when they returned to the restaurant, but they hadn't expected him to be. Tooru sighed. She hated when they were separated. She knew she should just get used to it. The life they'd led up on the mountain couldn't be duplicated. Soon they'd be spending most days apart. Kyou would be at work, Yuki and she would be at school. There wasn't even a guarantee that she and Yuki would be in the same class. They couldn't spend every day together all the time. It wasn't normal and it wasn't healthy. She _knew_ that. She had to let them live their own lives and be strong enough to live her own. But she was afraid.

They'd promised they'd stay with her, and she knew they wouldn't break that promise. But she feared they would come to regret it. Once they saw what kind of life they were forced to live, just because they wanted to stay with her...

"Honda-san?" Yuki asked. She'd drifted off as they were studying and was staring into space. "Do you want to take a break?"

Tooru focused on him and smile. "What? No! Our important test is coming, I should keep studying!"

"We can take a few minutes." Yuki said pushing aside his books. "Why don't we make a snack?"

"Is Yuki-kun hungry?" She asked, starting to stand. "I can make something."

"Its not that-" Yuki said quickly. "It just looked like Honda-san needed a break."

"What if..." Tooru said suddenly. "What if I don't pass the test?" They were all working so hard, what if she failed them?

"Honda-san will pass." Yuki said confidently. Tooru started to protest, but he cut her off with a raised hand. "But, if for some reason she doesn't, we'll just take it again. I'm sure Keiko-san won't mind." In fact, Yuki suspected she'd see that they passed no matter what their actual scores were. She wanted them out.

Tooru looked down at her papers. She didn't know why she felt so disappointed. What had she expected him to say? That they'd just be together then? It was her dream that he was trying to make come true. It was her promise that he was trying to keep.

"Honda-san seems tired." Yuki said sympathetically. "Do you want to lay down for a while? Today is supposed to be our day off."

Tooru squared her shoulders. "No, no. We said we'd study for another half hour, then I was going to help Mai-san with the laundry."

"Ah!" Yuki said. "Laundry. How will we do that in our apartment? Did they say in the pamphlet?"

"I don't think it said, which means there probably isn't a laundry service." Tooru mused. "There might be a coin operated machine in the building. If not, it is outside of Tokyo proper, so there should be a laundry mat somewhere. Or we can buy a small hand washing machine and I'm sure there is a laundry line on the balcony."

Yuki sighed. "It's at times like this that I feel useless to Honda-san." He admitted. "I've never even washed my own clothes... except for in the stream with you."

"It will be a lot easier now." Tooru smiled. "But, because of that, Yuki-kun won't have to help with that anymore. I can do that."

"I want to help." Yuki said, sounding hurt. "I know I'm not very good at that sort of thing, but Honda-san doesn't have to worry that I'll mess it up."

"That's not it at all!" Tooru started. "It's just that, I don't want Yuki-kun to have to do those kinds of things..."

"Why not?" Yuki asked.

Tooru fiddled her thumbs together. She hated the thought of Yuki doing rough work. She didn't like that Kyou was either, but he at least seemed to enjoy it a little. Yuki was so smart, he should be doing... she wasn't sure what, but something more _important._

"It just seems..." She said, "That it would be a waste of Yuki-kun's time. I'm no good at anything other then housework, so I should do that."

"And what does Honda-san think I'll be doing while she's doing housework?" Yuki asked. "And Kyou?"

"Yuki-kun will be doing homework, and working," Tooru said promptly. "And Kyou-kun will be working all day. They'll be tired when they come home. So I'll take care of the meals and have the apartment clean, so they won't have to worry about it."

"But Honda-san will be working too." Yuki reminded her. "And studying. Won't she be tired?"

"I'm used to it." Tooru said, curling her arms. "I'm strong!"

"Any you think we're weak."

"What?" The hurt was unmistakable in Yuki's voice. "No!" She said quickly. "It's just that I'm useless otherwise!" She clapped her hands over her mouth and stood up. "I-I- I'm going to go help Mai-san!"

"Honda-san!" Yuki said scrambling to get up. "Wait!" He caught her before she could escape, grabbing her hand and pulling her back. "What do you mean by that?"

Tooru looked away, leaning against the door frame. Yuki was looming over her, trapping her.

"Honda-san." He said gently, trying to get her to look up at him. "Please, talk to me. What do you mean?"

"What's going on?" Kyou stood in the hallway, dusty and tired.

"Kyou-kun." Tooru escaped when Yuki stepped back. "Is it that late already? I should go help Mai get dinner ready." She fled down the steps. She was messing everything up, first she'd fought with Kyou this morning and now Yuki!

"What the heck was that about?" Kyou asked, scratching at his dusty hair.

"I don't even know!" Yuki said throwing his hands up in frustration. "We were talking about laundry and then it just went... strange."

Kyou stared at him with a knowing look.

"Not that way!"

::0::0::

Tooru fled down the steps and ran out the back door, racing to get to the laundry before Yuki or Kyou gave chase. It was outside under the eaves of the carport out back and seemed very far away. She was winded by the time she reached the end of the alley behind the restaurant. She glanced over her shoulder, neither boy had caught up with her. She rested against the corner of the building. She wanted to catch her breath before she saw Mai.

"You okay?"

Tooru gave an eep! and covering the base of her throat with a hand. "Keiko-san! You startled me!"

Keiko shifted her laundry basket to her hip. "I always come over on the third Thursday after school, to do my laundry. We don't have a washing machine." She looked at Tooru curiously. "What were you running away from?"

"Running?" Tooru felt her cheeks heat up with color. "I wasn't. That is, I was running, but not away. I said I would help Mai-san with the laundry and I lost track of time."

"Then why were you looking over your shoulder like you expected to see someone there?"

Tooru stepped forward, "Does Keiko-san want me to help with her laundry? She must be tired after teaching all day-"

Keiko shifted her laundry basket further back on her hip and out of reach. "Does changing the subject like that usually work for you?"

"I.. I..." Tooru stuttered, she turned away from Keiko. "I said I'd help Mai-san!" She ducked around the corner and walked briskly towards the washing machine. Keiko was a looming presence at her back, following slowly behind her.

"Mai-san!" Tooru called to the large woman standing by the machine.

She turned around and smiled. "Tooru-chan, Keiko! Just in time! Tooru-chan, I could use some help hanging these sheets. The machine is free for a load of your things, Keiko." Her smiled dimmed. "Is something wrong?"

"N-no." Tooru insisted. "Where is Mai's clothes line?"

Mai glanced at Keiko. "It's not my fault this time." Her daughter shrugged, sorting a load of whites into the washing machine. "She ran out the back like she was being chased by the bats of hell. I asked what was wrong and she just changed the subject."

"Tooru-chan?"

Tooru clasped her hands together before Mai and Keiko could notice that they were shaking. "The laundry-" she started, feeling cornered and trapped.

"Can wait." Mai interrupted firmly. "What's the matter? Are you not feeling well? Maybe you should go rest."

"No!" Tooru said quickly. Going upstairs to rest meant running into Kyou and Yuki. She glanced over her shoulder like they might appear.

"Did you have fight with your ...er," Mai paused, not quite sure what to call the obviously close relationship between the three of them, "...friends?"

Tooru shook her head quickly, her eyes tearing up. She started to sniffle.

"So, what, if you can't change the subject you just cry?" Keiko asked blandly.

"W-what?" Tooru said, startled out of her tears.

"Well, we've only met a couple of times and I'm starting to see a pattern. It's easy to avoid dealing with things if a few tears makes everyone pet and reassure you."

"Keiko!" Mai scolded.

"I'm just saying-" Keiko shrugged, "I get students like her all the time. They think a few tears will let them slide on a math test or a homework assignment." She looked at Tooru. "And I tell them that tears won't get them far in the real world."

"I wasn't-"

Keiko cut her off. "I'm not saying you're doing it on purpose. Those boys make it easy for you. The minute you put on the waterworks they're all over you."

"I know!" Tooru said, scrubbing at her eyes trying to keep the traitorous tears from falling. "I don't want to be that way! I want to be strong for Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun!"

"If you want to be strong," Keiko said tossing her a packet of tissues out of her pocket, "Start by blowing your nose and getting a hold of yourself."

"Keiko-" Mai said.

"Ma, " Keiko cut her off."You know I'm right about this. If they're going to be on their own, she can't be bursting into tears every time something rough comes up." She looked at Tooru. "If you want to live on your own as an adult, you have to act like one."

Tooru turned away and quickly blew her nose. "I want to." She said miserably as she turned back. "Kyou-kun and Yuki-kun are working so hard, and I'm acting like such a mess."

"So what were you running from?" Keiko asked again, her tone less abrasive then before.

"Yuki-kun and I had a fight." Tooru said. Her forehead furrowed. "I think."

"You think?" Mai asked, amusement creeping into her tone. She glanced at Keiko. "Come on, you and Keiko help me hang the laundry and we'll talk about it."

Tooru helped her hang sheets and clothes on the line as she explained, as much as she could, the fight she'd had with Yuki.

"That doesn't really sound like a fight to me." Mai said, pinning a sheet in place.

Keiko nodded, pinning up a pair of Kazuya's pants. "I have to agree."

"But-" Tooru started.

"It sounds more like," Keiko interrupted as she shook out a t-shirt, "he was just confused on what you meant."

"I'd be." Mai agreed. "What did you mean about being useless?"

Tooru sighed, trying to put her confused feelings into words. "Yuki-kun is smart. Kyou-kun is strong. But I'm not either. The only thing I'm good at is..." she waved her hand to encompass the laundry and all other housekeeping tasks, "this."

"And?" Keiko prompted.

"I'm not good at anything else." Tooru repeated.

"I mean," Keiko dried her hands on her pants, "so what if you're not good at anything else? How is that a problem?"

Mai walked back to the washing machine and pulled out the next load. "Life rarely takes the shape we're expect. Right now your plans are for the three of you to go back to school-"

"Yuki-kun and I are going back." Tooru corrected. "Kyou-kun says he doesn't want to, he's going to work."

"He's dropping out?" Keiko said disapprovingly.

"He says he was never very good at it, and that he'd rather start working." Tooru shook her head. "But Kyou-kun always got good grades, better than me."

"He probably got hassled for his attitude. He might have had less trouble if he dyed his hair back to black." Keiko shrugged. "I don't have much sympathy for people who make problems for themselves."

"Kyou-kun's hair is natural." Both Keiko and Mai were surprised at the amount of anger in Tooru's tone. She shook out a t-shirt like she was shaking up the world and all it's stupid assumptions. "I think his hair is _beautiful_. All Kyou-kun does is work hard to take care of me, and even Yuki-kun. He should be judged by that, not his hair."

"Okay." Keiko said, sounding chagrined. "So he shouldn't dye his hair."

"But I think he should go back to school, especially if he was good at it." Mai said. "Life without even a high school degree is so hard."

"I know." Tooru said sadly. "Mother had to work very hard, every day. Thats why she wanted me to be in school so badly. I wish Kyou-kun would come back to school."

"Have you told him that? " Keiko asked. "Or really talked to Yuki about why you want to do the housekeeping? I think he's right on that, by the way. It's reasonable that you'd all pitch in."

Tooru didn't answer, frowning at the clothing line like it should answer for her.

"You all are trying so hard to look after one another that you're forgetting to look after yourselves." Mai said. "Yuki was frantic about finding a place for your three, but he never asked for your help in getting one, did he? And Kyou's so busy finding work that I worry he'll make himself ill. He hasn't been resting like you and Yuki. He might not have been injured, but he was just as skinny and weak as either of you when you came down the mountain."

"And you," Keiko broke in, carrying over the last load from the washing machine, "You're so worried about the two of them you're reducing yourself to tears over who's going to do the laundry."

"I..." Tooru said, "I just want to do my best for Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun."

"Then you need to talk to them." Keiko said simply. "You can't try to take on everything yourself, or let them take on things for you."

"You need to talk and listen." Mai nodded. "Both in equal measure."

Keiko walked over to the washing machine and picked up a collapsed three-legged stool. The top folded over for storage. "See, here, see what happens when you try to stand this on one leg." The stool toppled over, she caught it before it could hit the ground. She flipped the top up and pulled apart the legs. "Now. See? They lean against each other, and now not only can it stand, it can take three times the weight any individual leg can." She sat on the stool and folded her legs. "You want to be strong, but you'll be stronger if you lean on them and let them lean on you. Understand?"

She stood up and kicked in one of the legs on the stool. "You have to stand up straight, of course. If you buckle, it all goes down."

"I know." Tooru said squaring her shoulders. "I want to be strong." But she had a lot to think about. She'd never told Kyou she wanted him at school, she'd never known that Yuki had been that worried about finding them a place to live. She'd just assumed he'd find something, he'd make it work. That was what he was good at. He must have been so worried. Now that she thought about it, there were plenty of times when he'd mentioned it and she'd just shrugged it off.

"You ladies done?" Ginta called from the end of the alley. "Dinner's ready. Keiko, you staying?"

"No, I've got to pick up Makoto and I promised Rei his favorite tonight." She called. She turned to Mai. "I'll pick up my clothes tomorrow." She kissed her on the cheek. She looked at Tooru and sighed. "I think you'll find it easier to be strong, if you let them know what you're feeling."

"I can't keep it all straight." Tooru admitted. "Keiko-san says I should be strong, that I shouldn't let Kyou-kun and Yuki-kun protect me. But she also says that I should lean on them." Her head was swimming.

"The trick to being an adult," Keiko said, "is to learn when to lean and when to be leaned on. After a while it becomes second nature." She patted Tooru on the shoulder. "Until then, be honest, with them, with yourself, and above all _talk_ to them."

::0::0::

Dinner was awkward. Tooru sat in her usual seat between Yuki and Kyou, fending off glances and looks as she ate. The boys kept a steady conversation of looks over her head and cocked eyebrows. Kazuya was absent, eating at a friends after a soccer game in the park.

Ginta worked through his meal in silence, while Mai chattered about town gossip she'd picked up while shopping earlier in the day. She asked how Kitagawa's lunch had gone over, and Yuki and Tooru blushed remembering the embarrassing topic he'd brought up. Kyou looked at them and frowned.

"Kitagawa-sensei liked the lunch I brought him." Tooru said, and left it at that.

Mai pursed her lips as if expecting them to say something else, confirming Yuki's suspicion that she had something to do with Kitagawa's sudden interest in their personal life.

The older woman turned to Kyou. "So, you worked with Enoki today?"

"Yeah." Kyou said shortly. "Roof work."

"Anything interesting happen?" Mai prodded, looking at him knowingly.

Yuki glanced at Kyou over Tooru's head. Kyou sighed, lifting a shoulder in a minimal shrug. He'd explain later.

"Not really." He said and concentrated on his dinner. "I'm working with him again tomorrow, he's got another roof to do."

"Oh, that sounds dangerous." Mai said. "Is it really safe you do to do something like that? Aren't you afraid you'd fall?"

"Kyou-kun loves high places." Tooru smiled up at him. "I'm glad he gets to work where he can be up high."

Kyou grinned at her. "Yeah. That's the one good thing about it, besides the money." He picked at his meal. "We want to get started earlier tomorrow, because it gets hot in the afternoon."

"Does Kyou-kun need to get up early?" Tooru asked.

"Yeah. I should leave by six." Kyou said. He glanced at Mai. "I'll make my own breakfast."

Tooru frowned. _Kyou is so busy finding work, he's not resting. _"Then Kyou-kun should go to bed early."

Kyou glanced at her. "Yeah."

"I'll make a lunch for Kyou-kun tonight." Tooru said. "He can take it with him tomorrow."

"You don't have to-" Kyou started to say.

"I want to." She insisted.

"Shouldn't you be studying?" Kyou retorted.

"We will." Tooru said, glancing at Yuki. "But I can make a lunch for Kyou-kun too."

"I can make his lunch." Mai offered.

Tooru bit her lip and looked down at her plate. She wanted to make his lunch. Would it be petty to insist? Was this a situation where she should be strong, or one where she should lean?

"Don't worry about it." Kyou said, mussing her hair. "Just focus on studying."

Tooru nodded and wondered if she'd chosen right.

::0::0::

Mai had conspicuously ignored that the futons hadn't been moved from Keiko's room. Perhaps she thought her meddling with Kitagawa to be enough deterrent to keep anything from happening. Tooru and Yuki had studied after dinner. Kyou had sat with them for a little while looking through the building pamphlets trying to get a feel for the neighborhood. Tooru reminded him to get to bed early, and he'd taken his bath and gotten into his futon before Kazuya even got home.

Yuki went first for his bath, he and Tooru had stayed up late studying. Kyou was a lump under the blankets of the futon. But there was an alertness to the room, so Yuki knew he wasn't sleeping.

"Did Honda-san say anything to you while you were doing the dishes?" Yuki asked stepping over the cat to his futon. He had tried to bring up their earlier conversation / fight but Tooru had just avoided the subject.

"Nothing." Kyou said, giving up his pretense to sleep. He'd been dozing, but couldn't remember the last time he'd tried to sleep alone. He'd gotten out of the habit. "I asked her about it, but she just asked me if I thought the weather would be good tomorrow." He lifted his head and looked at Yuki. "You get anything out of her?"

"No. Anytime I started she'd ask another study question." Yuki sighed.

Tooru knocked lightly. "I'm coming in." She said softly and opened the door. She peeped in and then snuck in quickly shutting the door behind her. She still wasn't certain that Mai knew she was sleeping on the floor with them rather then in bed.

"Did Yuki-kun set the alarm?" Tooru asked as she grabbed her blanket and pillow.

"Ah, I forgot." Yuki said sitting up. He winced, every now and again he forgot that he couldn't move that quickly.

"Damn Rat," Kyou said looking at him in concern. "Don't hurt yourself over it. I already set it myself."

"Lay down." Tooru said stepping over to him quickly. "I'll rub Yuki-kun's back."

"T-that's okay." Yuki said easing himself back. "I'm fine."

"I thought you said Kitagawa said you were doing fine." Kyou said, angrily rearranging himself under his blanket.

"He did. I am." Yuki said, laying on his stomach but facing Kyou. "But I'm still healing. I still have a ways yet."

"But Kitagawa-sensei said that Yuki-kun could do katas again." Tooru flopped down between them after she shut off the lights. "So Yuki-kun is definitely doing much better."

"Is that all he said?" Kyou asked. "Mai was looking at you two funny when she asked about it."

His superior eyesight, one of the few gifts he received from the cat, let him watch at Tooru turned an interesting shade of red and Yuki turned his face away in the dim illumination of the digital clock.

"Yes, er..." Tooru took a deep breath and said, "Kitagawa-sensei asked us about birth control."

"About what!?" Kyou sat up.

Tooru quickly explained about the "just in case" prescription. She blushed redder, until he'd brought it up she really hadn't thought about going beyond kisses and touches.

Kyou sat staring blankly at the door to the hallway. The thought of birth control brought up all sorts of images. "Damn Mai." He grumbled.

"Last night..." Tooru started hesitantly, "Yuki-kun asked me how I felt about Kyou-kun and Yuki-kun. I think that Mai-san could tell that I felt like they were more then just friends..."

"We are?" Yuki said. "Then...?"

"I do think..." Tooru stumbled over her words, "that I'd like to know what it feels like to...to...to be a girlfriend to Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun." She was blind in the darkness, and it made it easier to say such things when she couldn't see their reactions.

"You're talking about..em.. what we talked about last night?" Yuki's skin flushed hot at the memory of Tooru wrapping herself close.

"Kissing and... stuff?" Kyou said. "But... both of us?"

"I love you both." Tooru said, scooting into place between them on the futon. "I know it's strange, and that it's not normal."

"Maybe it is normal," Yuki said softly, winding his fingers through her hair, "For Honda-san. Most people their hearts are too small for more than one person. But Honda-san's heart is too big for just one."

"I don't think it's me." Tooru said. "It's that Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun are both such wonderful people I couldn't help but fall in love with both of them."

"I think I'm going to be sick." Kyou said crossly. "It's just because we aren't even worth one person. It takes two of us to make someone normal." He went on before they could interrupt. "I know one thing, if we're going to make this work, you can't keep calling her "Honda-san," Rat."

"Ah," Tooru said turning over so she was on her back, "Yes, soon I won't be Honda-san. And Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun won't be Souma."

"You guys have to pick out a new name before you take your test." Kyou reminded them. "And then when we get there... you can't be messing up and calling her "Honda."

"I know." Yuki said, burrowing into his blankets. "I know." But he still couldn't imagine calling her anything else, and calling her by her first name still seemed so intimate.

"We'll figure that out later." Tooru said, though it gave her a thrill to imagine Yuki looking at her and saying "Tooru" in a husky whisper like he'd used the night before.

"But it sounds like we should, um, maybe get that prescription filled when we get to our apartment." Kyou said.

There was a long pause as they all thought about what that would mean.

"Yes." Tooru said softly.

::0::0::

The next morning came quickly. The alarm went off at five and Tooru was quick to shut it off before it could wake any of the Iwayas. Kyou was awake as soon as she moved. He groaned, five am hadn't seemed so early yesterday. He rolled over and rubbed at his eye with the heel of his hand. He didn't want to leave the warm futon.

"Kyou-kun." She whispered, "It's time to get up. I'll make Kyou-kun's breakfast. Would you like fish?"

"You don't hafta." He said sleepily. "I was going to make onigiri for myself." He sat up and stretched. He felt old in the mornings. "You should sleep more."

"I want to." Tooru insisted. "Kyou-kun should eat better if he's going to be working hard."

Kyou wasn't about to protest. It had been too long since he'd had a grilled fish breakfast made by Tooru.

Yuki sighed. He'd woken up with the alarm for once and he wanted to drift back to sleep, but nagging sensation was keeping him from relaxing again. "You're working with Enoki again today?" There was something about the work with Enoki that triggered the nagging voice in the back of his brain. It had started out with Enoki just handing off jobs he or the town's odd jobsman Watase didn't have time for. But the past couple of jobs Kyou had worked as a helper on some more complicated tasks that required more then one person.

"Yeah, Watase too, and a couple of other guys. We're re-tarring a roof in the commercial district."

"Ugh." Yuki said, wrinkling his nose and kicking his blankets off. "Wash up _before_ you come back this time."

"I will!" Kyou said, digging through his bag for his most beat up clothes. Last time he'd had a job that involved tar he'd come home covered in it. It had taken him hours to get it off himself and then another couple hours to get it out of the bathroom. The smell had lingered. "Enoki said he'd pay for all of us to use the public bath."

"Did something weird happen at the job yesterday?" Yuki asked and then wished he'd waited for Tooru to leave the room. He should have waited until he woke up more before speaking.

"I dunno if you'd call it weird." Kyou said, sitting back on his heels. "Enoki offered me a job."

"So?" Yuki asked scratching his head. "He almost always offers you new work doesn't he?"

"No, I mean a job... if we were staying, he said he'd give me steady work." Kyou sounded suspiciously pleased. "I think Mai put him up to it."

"But I'm sure that Enoki-san wouldn't have offered if he didn't think that Kyou was doing a good job!" Tooru said clapping her hands.

Kyou blushed. "I haven't been doing anything special. Mostly carrying and fetching stuff like a dog."

"So what did you tell him?" Yuki asked.

"What could I tell him?" Kyou shrugged. "I told him that thanks, but we were leaving soon so I couldn't."

Yuki nodded.

"It's too bad we can't stay." Tooru said, stepping back into the corner to give Kyou privacy to dress. She picked out her clothes for the day. The restaurant had slowed down enough that Mai had told them to concentrate on their studies, so she didn't have to wear something presentable. She picked out a comfortable but threadbare t-shirt dress, one of the few that had survived from the mountain.

"I know you'll miss the people here, but soon we'll have new friends." Yuki promised, laying back under the futon blankets.

"Would it be okay if I kept in touch with Mai-san?" Tooru asked hesitantly. "I...I'd like to write her." She glanced at Yuki and Kyou, both were studiously looking away from her to let her dress. She slipped into her clothes quickly

Yuki sighed. "I don't know if that's a good idea. But I'll think about it."

"Okay!" She stepped over to Yuki's reclining form. She reached down and pet at his hair. "Does Yuki-kun want breakfast too? I'll go get it started."

"Yes, thank you." Yuki said, shivering at the feel of her fingers over his earlobe. "I'll... uh, see you down there."

Tooru paused at the door. She bit her lip and turned around. "I... I want to talk to Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun." She said the words tumbling out. "I want... I want Kyou-kun to go back to school with us."

"What?" Yuki sat up, surprised at her sudden confession. Kyou turned around, looking at Yuki and then back at her.

"I'm going to work." Kyou said firmly. "We already decided that."

"No we didn't." Tooru said, "Kyou-kun decided that. But I don't want Kyou-kun to have to work hard forever, like Mother. I promise I'll work very hard, and pitch in a lot so that we can still have the larger apartment. I want Kyou-kun to graduate with us."

"It... it probably would work." Yuki said, his voice gaining in strength. "The boarding house is more than reasonable in it's rates, with the extra money you've been earning here we can go a couple months on just our savings. You said it yourself. We have less than a year left."

Tooru smiled, "I know that Kyou-kun hasn't had much time to study, but I'm sure he could pass the test. Yes, and if we all pitch in-"

"No, I'm not going back!" Kyou said angrily. "Why should I? You don't need me there, you've got the Rat to help you. This is the only way I can help!"

"What?" Tooru asked. "But-"

"I'm no good at helping you study. What do you need me here at all if I'm not helping by working?" Kyou said. "I don't want to be just a dead weight, but if I work then-"

"Are you seriously saying you're just planning to work because you think it's how you can be most helpful?" Yuki asked incredulously.

"I don't want Kyou-kun here just because he can take care of Yuki-kun and I." Tooru said softly. "I want him here because he's Kyou-kun." She stepped forward and grasped his hand. "We can take care of each other. Please."

"If I don't work it's going to be so hard, for all of us." Kyou protested. "If I work you can Yuki can take time off when you have your tests."

"But-" Tooru started.

"I have to go to work." Kyou said, trying to avoid the conversation.

"Why don't you just take the test and then decide?" Yuki suggested, scrambling to his feet. "Just because you pass doesn't mean you have to go, but if you don't even take it you can't change your mind later on."

"Yes!" Tooru said, tightening her grip on his hand. "Please?"

"When am I supposed to study?" Kyou asked. "I've got jobs all weekend."

"Cancel them. Or, some of them at least." Yuki said quickly before he could protest. "Or, we'll all go and help you, so it will take less time."

"Are you kidding?" Kyou snorted. "You'd just slow me down. You're both too clumsy, I'd be worried about this idiot pitching herself off a roof and I don't want to know what kind of damage you'd do with a hammer." He sighed. "I'll tell Enoki I can't take any more jobs after today... at least, not until Monday." He looked down at Tooru. "Happy?"

"Yes." Tooru clutched his hand tight and leaned her forehead against his shoulder. "Thank you!"

"I thought you were going to make me breakfast." He said gruffly.

"Yes!" Tooru said and stepped back. "I'll make fish, and all of Kyou-kun's favorites!" She spun happily in a circle and clapped her hands together as if she couldn't contain herself before rushing out the door. She padded down the stairs humming lightly to herself.

"What the hell was that about?" Kyou turned to Yuki once she was out of earshot. "We decided-"

"She's right." Yuki interrupted. "_You_ decided. And I think you're wrong. I should have said so before."

"We need me to work." Kyou said.

"It would make things easier, in the short term." Yuki admitted. "But for a couple of easy months you'd be trading the rest of your life."

"Trading _what?_" Kyou ran his hands through his hair. "Are you even listening to yourself? Do you remember who I am?" He threw his hands in the air. "I'm the _Cat._ Up until a couple of months ago, my life after high school was going to be me, locked room with one row of windows and no visitors. Working is going to be paradise compared to that!"

Yuki drew back as if he was slapped. He'd honestly forgotten about that. He'd forgotten that Kyou would have been locked up, that his high school degree never would have gotten him anything. But he was the Rat, and he recovered quickly.

"But now you can do whatever you want." Yuki said. "It doesn't matter that you're the Cat. You're not going to get locked up, there is no room waiting for you. You can be anything. If you got your degree you could-"

"Could what? Go to college? With what money? Get some sort of office job? The last thing I want is four walls around me." Kyou spat.

"Having a degree won't stop you from working anywhere, but not having one will." Yuki said simply. "It's not worth arguing over. You've already said you'd take the test. Just think about it." He glanced at the clock. "Honda-san will be ready with your breakfast by now."

"I don't see why _you_ care." Kyou muttered as he stomped out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

Yuki sat back down on the futon, staring at the shut door. "I don't know either."

::0::0::

The mood never quite went back to normal between the three of them that weekend. Kyou compromised by canceling half of the jobs he'd set up for the weekend, leaving early in the morning and coming back for lunch to study with Tooru and Yuki. The study sessions were tense, with Kyou's anger at being coerced into taking the test a barrier between him and Yuki.

At the same time, the air was charged between Tooru and the boys. The knowledge that she considered herself their "girlfriend," even if it was to both of them, colored every action. Every soft touch, every casual movement, every glance if hers, took a new distracting meaning.

Yuki lost a good half hour watching Tooru chew on the end of her pencil while taking a mock test. Kyou sat with his arms elbow deep in hot dishwater for fifteen minutes watching Tooru sway back and forth in front of the prep counter as she sang softly to herself and made onigiri. Bedtime was a sweet torture. She sighed in her sleep, cuddled and squirmed.

It was killing Kyou that Tooru kept sleeping in his clothes. The one night he'd said something about it she'd switched to a beat up shirt of Yuki's. Yuki had been unable to look at her, the thin silk shirt he favored molded against her intimately. Kyou had found it just as distracting and since the silk wasn't as warm as one of his sweatshirts she'd ended up pressed against his back. Yuki was pressed against hers, curled up in a way that one arm protected his chest and the other wrapped tightly around her waist. Neither boy had protested when she went back to the bulky sweatshirt the next night.

Tooru concentrated on studying for her test. She considered her first attempt at being strong and talking to Yuki and Kyou a big success. It was an amazing confidence booster. Kyou was going to take the test, they were all studying together, and they weren't arguing. There was definitely a strange vibe going on all around her, but she pegged it to be stress about the test and worry about the future. Now that they were sleeping together every night, she was feeling more well rested. It was amazing how a couple of good nights of sleep could improve her mood. She felt bursting with energy.

Mai and Ginta chuckled to see how flustered this perky version of Tooru was making the boys. Even Kazuya was being effected. Tooru had insisted on making lunches for everyone and Kazuya had even skipped a soccer match to be home for them. This hadn't gone unnoticed by Yuki and Kyou who retaliated by stopping any conversation between the two short. Should Kazuya try to ask Tooru a question, Yuki would answer it. If Kazuya offered to carry something or help Tooru reach something Kyou made sure to get it first.

They'd gotten unused to competition for her attention and they didn't want to get used to it again.

All in all, even with all the fuss, Monday still came too quickly for any of their liking. Hiroki said he'd drive them over to the school after lunch. Keiko had gotten permission to proctor their test, but it had to be taken on school grounds.

Tooru's hand was shaking when Kyou helped her up into the front seat of Hiroki's car. He squeezed it encouragingly, but she just gave him one white faced glance. Kyou exchanged a glance with Yuki. He was still upset about taking the test. He planned to decline to go to school no matter what the outcome, but he hated seeing Tooru so scared.

"We're ready for this Honda-san." Yuki said. "You haven't gotten anything lower then an 80 on any of the practice exams."

"I know." Tooru said, a tremor underneath her confident words. This was it, this was her chance to be strong. If she didn't pass this test, she'd be letting both of them down. They'd done so much to get her this chance.

"What name did you decide on?" Kyou asked suddenly. "What should we put on our tests?" Maybe he could calm her down with a distraction.

"We're all going to take the same name." Yuki said. They'd decided to keep their first names, none of them had anything very distinctive and it made for less of a chance of messing up later on. Kyou had suggested taking Tooru's mother's maiden name. But Tooru had confessed to not knowing it. Kyoko had cut all ties to her parents, she had been nothing but a Honda the whole of Tooru's life. They'd played with the thought of naming themselves "Akai-Chou" after her mother's nick name "Akai" for red and Chou for butterfly, or perhaps simply Chou. But it was too weird and too likely to make people take notice.

Kyou had left it up to them, not particularly caring what made up name they were going to take. And Tooru had left it up to Yuki, trusting he'd come up with something good and safe. Yuki had struggled with the decision, having no clue where to start.

"Yeah, I know, but what?" Kyou pressed. "We're going to have to use it in a minute."

"Sato." Yuki said finally. "It's the most common name in Japan, in every prefecture."

"Sato." Tooru repeated. "Sato Tooru, Sato Yuki-kun, Sato Kyou-kun."

"That sounds weird." Kyou said. "How are we writing it?"

"I thought using the Kanji for "Hometown," Yuki said. The only home they had was each other now, so it made sense that their name would be related to that.

"But the common reading for that kanji is Kyou!" Kyou said, sitting up straight. "That means people'd be calling me Kyou-Kyou all the time like your stupid brother!"

From the front seat Tooru giggled. She looked out the window. "Let's use the Kanji for "Countryside." She said. "Since that's where we picked it. Plus," She peeked over the side into the backseat. "It's much easier to write!"

"Sounds fine to me." Kyou shrugged. "Anything is better then Kyou-Kyou."

"But Sato is fine?" Yuki asked.

"Yes," Tooru nodded. "It works fine." She practiced writing it in the air. "Sato."

::0::0::

"Pens down." Keiko said.

Tooru sighed. There hadn't been many questions she hadn't had some idea on, but she still didn't know how well she'd done. She handed Keiko her test.

"I've gotten permission to get these graded tonight." Keiko said taking Yuki and Kyou's tests. "It will take a few hours, I'll come over with the results after the dinner rush tonight."

"O-okay." Tooru said, trying to swallow past the lump in her throat. Dinner was hours away. How was she going to survive? She and the others followed Keiko out into the hallway towards the exit. Hiroki had returned to take them back to the restaurant.

Now that they didn't have to study, they were at a loss as to what to do with themselves. Tooru hung about the kitchen for a while, until it became clear there was nothing for her to do. Yuki sat in a booth went over all their pamphlets for the boarding house and new school. There wasn't a real purpose, he'd memorized their contents at this point. Kyou wandered around the restaurant snatching up plates as soon as they were empty. He didn't even want to pass his test, he didn't know why he was getting so nervous about it.

"I'm home!" Kazuya said running through the restaurant and into the kitchen. "I'm going to play soccer!"

"Be back for dinner!" Mai called.

"I will." Kazuya could have won a speed record for changing out of his uniform and into his street clothes. He skidded to a stop into the restaurant. "Hey, Yuki. Why don't you come?"

Yuki looked up in surprise. "Me?"

"Yeah, you haven't played once." Kazuya spun his soccer ball between his fingers. "You guys should all come. You haven't done anything but study and work since you got here."

"Oh, we couldn't." Tooru said. "The restaurant-"

"Will survive without you." Mai said cheerfully. "Monday nights are always slow. You kids go have fun."

"But Yuki-kun's back-" Tooru said.

"I think, if he takes it easy, he should be fine." Tooru turned around to see Kitagawa sitting in a booth starting an early dinner. "Light exercise is good, just don't stress yourself." Kitagawa said to Yuki.

Yuki, Kyou and Tooru exchanged looks. They hadn't been out of the restaurant for fun at all.

"We should wait for Keiko-san." Tooru said.

"I think we should go." Yuki said standing. He wanted to distract Tooru from worrying. "She's coming after dinner, this will give us something to do until then."

Kyou nodded slowly, catching on quick. "Yeah, why not? Let's go."

"But-" Tooru started.

"Are we both playing? Do we have to be on the same team?" Kyou asked grabbing her hand and pulling her towards the door. "'Cause if not, you're _so_ going down Rat!"

"Baka Neko, you're just trying to take advantage of the fact that I'm not a fully healed yet." Yuki sneered.

"Damn straight, Nezumi!" Kyou said. "All's fair in war!"

"You know," Hiroki said leaning against the doorway to the kitchen. "If you guys don't want people to think you're gay, maybe you shouldn't call each other by pet names."

"What the hell is your problem!? Do you think that's funny?" Kyou yelled. "What are you, sick in the head?!"

"Sometimes girls play." Kazuya said to Tooru. "Do you want to?"

"Oh! I'm no good at that kind of thing, but maybe... I think watching _would _be fun." Tooru gave an uncertain smile.

Kyou spun away from Hiroki fast enough to make his neck crack. He pulled her away, heading for the door, "Then let's get going." He glared at Kazuya.

"You don't even know where the park is." Yuki said stepping quick to catch up with them.

"Then show us." Kyou said stomping away with Tooru in tow.

"Hey guys, wait up!" Kazuya called and chased after them with his ball.

"Hiroki, you shouldn't bait them." Mai said, but she smiled when she spoke.

"It's too much fun." Hiroki said as he wandered back into the kitchen. "And way too easy."

::0::0::

"So Yuki will be playing center back this time." Kazuya said. "And he's still not feeling a hundred percent, so we got to keep the ball out of the backfield as much as possible."

"How is that other guy?" One of the other players asked, glancing over his shoulder at Kyou, standing with the other team. "Should we worry about him?"

"Well, he's pretty strong and fast," Kazuya said, "but I've never seen him play. Yuki?"

"He's an idiot." Yuki said. "Don't worry about him. He'll probably foul himself out."

On the other side of the field, Kyou stood impatiently kicking the ball back and forth between his feet. He was trying to remember all the rules that went along with soccer. He knew the basics; no hands, and he had to get it in the goal. That's why he'd insisted on playing center forward. It was the most direct position on the field. It was his job to get the ball in the goal.

"You better by good!" One of his players said. "We still owe Kazuya's team a good beating."

"Well, there's no way I'm going to lose." Kyou puffed out his chest.

Tooru sat on the steep incline above the field. A couple other girls and boys dotted the impromptu viewing area, but none bothered to introduce themselves. She wrapped her arms around her knees and rested her chin against them. She smiled as she watched Kyou and Yuki glance her way. She waved.

"Hey."

Tooru looked up, her face already breaking into a smile. "Kin-san!"

The tall girl stood awkwardly on the hill above her, holding a plastic bag. "It is you." Kin said. "I wasn't sure."

"Yes," Tooru said turning to face her. "I'm going to watch Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun play soccer. Does Kin-san want to sit with me?"

"Oh, uh, I was just going to say hi." Kin said, looking embarrassed. "I was on my way home."

"Oh." Tooru said looking down. "That's too bad. I haven't seen Kin-san in a while."

"Well, if you really want me to," Kin said and slid down the hill towards her. "I guess I can for a while." She sat down next to Tooru and rooted in her bag, pulling out bottle. "Want some tea?"

"Yes, thank you!" Tooru said. "I'm so glad Kin-san happened to come by. Do you watch the soccer games here often?"

"No, not really. It's mostly high school kids here." Kin glanced to the side. A couple of the attendees were glancing their way and whispering. "I don't really fit in."

"Why not?" Tooru asked, sipping her tea and glancing around. "Kin-san is just like everyone else here."

Kin tugged on her long bleached ponytail. "I think you need to get your eyes checked."

"Eh?" Tooru glanced at her, then back at the field. "Oh, they're starting!"

"So both your guys are playing?" Kin asked, peering down at the field. "I see Yuki down there on Kazuya's team. Which one is the other one?"

"That's right!" Tooru said wondering a little at the "your guys" comment. "Kin-san has never met Kyou-kun. He's on the other team. The one with red hair." She pointed him out. "Oh, he has the ball!" She stood up. "Go Kyou-kun!"

Kyou glanced her way and almost lost control of the ball. He maneuvered quickly around the other players and made a beeline for Yuki. It was pointless if he didn't confront him and win.

Yuki hunkered down, spreading his legs and bracing himself. If the Cat thought he was going to get past him he was sadly mistaken.

"You're cheering for that one? What about Yuki?" Kin asked in surprise.

"Yuki-kun always wins." Tooru said simply. "Go, Kyou-kun, go!"

"Still, he might like to hear- Ouch!" Kin winced. "That looked like it hurt!"

Kyou had tried kicking the ball past Yuki into the goal, but Yuki had intercepted it and kicked it hard, pegging Kyou in the head. The ball had hit so hard Kyou had been knocked back onto the grass.

"Oh!" Tooru covered her mouth.

"What the hell Rat!" Kyou said picking himself up.

"Don't leave yourself so open." Yuki advised as he jogged backwards, watching the player who had gotten the ball off the ricochet.

Kyou shook off the hit and took off after the opposing player with the ball, easily stealing it away. He turned back towards Yuki ignoring his teammates cries to pass the ball. He barreled towards him and kicked hard, hoping to power the ball past him.

"Oooh!" Kin recoiled. "He's not a quick learner is he?" Yuki had smacked the ball back, hitting Kyou hard in the chest. One of his teammates grabbed it as it hit the ground and shot to the goal, scoring.

"You can do it Kyou-kun!" Tooru cheered.

"What are you, sadistic? Do you like watching him get pummeled?" Kin asked. "Why are you encouraging him?"

"Because Kyou-kun wants to win." Tooru said, settling back into her seat. Kyou's teammates had figured out that he'd keep trying to get past Yuki directly and were keeping the ball from him. They were playing a very good game of soccer but Tooru had come to see Yuki and Kyou play.

"But what about Yuki?" Kin asked. "Don't you want him to win?"

Tooru looked at Kin, "Yuki-kun doesn't care about winning games." She smiled. "But it's great that Yuki-kun is playing! He finds it difficult to join in things like this. If I cheered for him, he'd get embarrassed. Oh, Kyou-kun has the ball!"

Kyou stole the ball from one of his own teammates, and managed to cross more then half the field. He charged towards Yuki, leaving the other players marveling at his speed. Yuki hunkered down again, ready for a frontal assault.

The Cat smirked and zagged to the side, kicking the ball just behind the Rat into the goal. The goalie had expected Yuki to block anything coming from the other boy and wasn't quick enough to block it.

"Eat that, Rat!" Kyou said. "That's two to zero!"

"Game has just started, Baka Neko." Yuki said carelessly. "It would be boring if I made it too easy."

"Yay Kyou-kun!" Tooru cheered from her seat. She turned with sparkling eyes to Kin. "I can't believe he made it!"

Kin nodded slowly. The goalie had tossed the ball back out onto the field and it was traveling around the field. The players for both teams were trying to cut Yuki and Kyou out of the game, their rivalry making it hard for them to play.

"So." Kin said. "You guys are leaving soon?"

"Yes." Tooru said glancing away from the field. "Probably this week."

"You're all leaving together?"

"Yes." Tooru said, sounding surprised that that could even be a question.

"So... I don't get it. Which one are you, um, with?" Kin asked. "'Cause I know Yuki really loves you, if, um, you didn't know."

"I know." Tooru said, blushing. She steepled her fingers and ducked behind them shyly. "I love him too."

"You've told him so?" Kin asked. "'Cause, he was kind of worried about it...before the storm. He was worried that you liked the redhead."

"I have..." Tooru said, she bit her lip. "But, I love Kyou-kun too." She held her breath. Kin was the first person, besides Yuki and Kyou, she'd told. She knew that this wasn't how it worked usually. Usually it went in pairs, not threes.

Kin stretched out her legs, absorbing it. "You're pretty weird." She said finally. "Have you told them that you love both of them?"

"Yes." Tooru said and stroked her bracelet.

"And they were _okay_ with that?" Kin said incredulously. She looked at the field. Yuki and Kyou were facing off again, the ball had somehow gotten back in Kyou's possession. At the moment they certainly didn't look okay with it.

"Yes." Tooru said, then shook her head. "No, but, well, sort of."

"That makes no sense." Kin said shaking her head. "You realize it, right?"

"Yes," Tooru smiled. "Maybe the best way to put it would be that we are still working it out. I love them both, and they've agreed to stay with me. It _is_ very strange."

"What makes you so special?" Kin wondered. "I mean, you're not very pretty or anything. No offense, I _like_ you and all, but why would two guys be willing to do that?"

Tooru sat up. "Mmmm... I don't think I'm special at all."

"Well, I'm jealous." Kin said and looked down at the field, her face unreadable."I can't even find one guy."

"I'm very lucky." Tooru said. She paused. "Does Kin-san think that this is too strange?"

"I don't know." Kin said frowning. "I don't know what to think. I like Yuki, you know. I don't see how he could be happy, um, sharing." She watched them fight over the ball, grappling with their feet to get it away from one another. "They don't look like they share well."

Tooru thought of how she'd woken up each morning, nestled safe and warm between them. "Better then you'd think."

::0::0::

The game ended when Kyou and Yuki started a fight over the ball. Kyou had tried to power kick it past Yuki, who was visibly starting to tire. Yuki had retaliated by trying to bounce it off of Kyou's head again. But Kyou controlled the strike, head butting it at Yuki. Yuki had bounced it off his chest and smashed it at Kyou, and they volleyed it back and forth for a good fifteen minutes. The blows with the soccer ball were punishing, making Tooru wince while the boys on both teams slowly gathered around just to watch.

Finally, Kyou managed to kick the ball just past Yuki. Yuki slid down to intercept it and didn't get back up.

"Yuki-kun!" Tooru cried and scrambled down the hill.

"Hey, be careful!" Kin yelled following her carefully down the steep incline. "You're going to fall!"

As if on cue, Tooru tripped over her own feet and tumbled down the last few steps of the hill. She scrambled up to her feet and ran towards the clump of boys. "Yuki-kun!"

"Kuso Nezumi!" Kyou yelled. "What were you thinking, going down like that?!"

"You're the one who kicked the ball!" Yuki retorted, accepting Kazuya's supporting shoulder as he struggled to get to his feet.

"You should have let it go!" Kyou yelled.

Yuki took his weight off of Kazuya and straightened. He winced, he would definitely feel this for a while. That had been really dumb, but he didn't think he'd re-injured himself. He'd just stressed muscles that weren't quite ready for it. "Would you have?"

"That's not the point!" Kyou blustered. "You're supposed to be the smart one."

"Yuki-kun!" Tooru hopped in place trying to see past the wall of soccer players blocking her way. "Yuki-kun!"

"Outta the way, jerkwads!" Kin bellowed.

The crowd parted and Tooru darted in. "Yuki-kun are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine." Yuki said quickly. He tried to stand straight and couldn't hide a wince. "Really."

"Oi, Iwaya." One of Kyou's teammates said. "It's getting late, I've gotta get back home. Want to call this one a tie?"

"What's the score?" Kazuya asked scratching his ear. "I don't even remember."

"Two - Two." One of the other boys called. "Kyou got one, and Fujiwara got one for Itoh's team. I got one for us and so did Suzuki."

"Tie is fine." Kazuya nodded. "See you guys tomorrow?"

"Yeah." The others chorused.

Itoh hung back, "Oi, Iwaya..." He glanced at Yuki and Kyou. "Are they going to be back tomorrow?"

"Um," Kazuya glanced at Yuki and Kyou. Tooru was fluttering about Yuki worriedly while Kyou stood with crossed arms looking defensive. "Probably not."

"Good." Itoh said and stalked off the field.

Kazuya shook his head and jogged over to Yuki, Kyou and the others. "Are you okay?"

"Yes." Yuki said, his exasperation bleeding through. "I'm fine. I just hit a little hard." He looked at Tooru. "I'm fine."

Tooru bit her lip, she was still worried. She gave a bright smile to mask her concern, she'd just watch him carefully tonight. "Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun were amazing!"

"You guys totally were!" Kazuya agreed. "You'd be awesome on the same team. Kyou could get past any defense and Yuki could stop any offense! You'd be unbeatable!"

"I've never seen anyone kick a ball so fast." Kin admitted. "You're pretty good at this." She said to Yuki.

"You should see him when he's not injured!" Kazuya enthused.

"Oh, oh!" Tooru said, fluttering a hand in the air. "Kyou-kun and Kin-san haven't met before."

"Hey." Kyou said glancing at the tall girl briefly. He looked back at Tooru. "Are you okay? I saw you fall at the bottom of the hill."

"What? Oh, yes!" Tooru blushed hotly. "I'm fine." She knocked her knuckles lightly against her temple. "I was just being clumsy."

"Well, be careful." Kyou said mussing her hair and picking out a few stray blades of grass. "We don't need you getting hurt too."

Tooru patted her hair back in place. "Yes, but, I've never seen Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun play soccer like that before. It really was amazing."

"I don't know if I'd call it playing soccer." Kin put in. "It was more dueling with a soccer ball." She looked at Kyou. "I think you lost."

"What the hell do you know, Yankee!" Kyou bristled. "He's the one who went down! Plus it was a tied game!"

"Yes, but you played really dumb." Kin said. "You should have passed the ball more to get more points instead of just trying to get past Yuki. He played his position properly. So I think that makes him the winner."

Kazuya said wryly, "That's why I think it'd be better, if you guys play again, if you were on the same team." He bounced the ball from his knee to his foot and back up again.

Kin and Kyou ignored Kazuya's comment, preferring to keep yelling at each other, their insults reminiscent of another tall blond. Yuki shrugged and tried to stretch out his back. As much as he'd been getting along with Kyou recently, he didn't see them becoming team players any time soon.

"Ah, Kazuya-kun is very good at soccer too." Tooru said watching him lift the ball off his knee a couple times.

"Do you want to try kicking it?" Kazuya asked, puffing his chest out and letting the ball fall to the ground. "I bet you could get a goal from here."

"Yes!" Tooru said, letting Kazuya position her in front of the ball. Yuki and Kyou froze. "I want to try!"

"Hey wait-" Kyou started, distracted from his argument and Yuki stepped forward.

Tooru drew back her leg and gave a mighty kick forward. She completely missed the ball. "Eeek!" She cried as the momentum threw her backwards.

Yuki and Kyou were already in place, each grabbing a flailing hand and tucking a supporting hand under her armpit and lifting her weight easily. She hung like a rag doll between them.

"You moron!" Kyou yelled. "Didn't I just say be careful?"

"Are you alright?" Yuki asked. "You didn't twist your ankle?"

Tooru got her feet underneath herself. "N-no. I'm okay." She blushed hotly. "Sorry!"

"We gotta get back to the restaurant." Kazuya said, withering under the twin glares of Yuki and Kyou.

"I guess this is goodbye then." Kin said to Yuki as they walked up the hill. "Tooru said you'd be leaving this week."

"Yes." Yuki said, watching Kyou help tug Tooru up the steep incline.

"So you told her." Kin said, following his eyes. She paused to pick up her plastic shopping bag.

"Yes." He said simply. "I did." He took a deep breath. "I thought I was going to die. I had to tell her."

"Was it that bad?" Kin said, glancing at the ever present mountain looming on the horizon.

"Yes, it was that bad." Yuki said. He cleared a suddenly thick throat. "But we survived. And things are coming together."

"She told me." Kin said. "About you and her and _him._"

Yuki didn't say anything, concentrating on plodding up the incline. It hadn't seemed so steep going down.

"Are you okay with that?" Kin asked finally.

Yuki shook his head. "You don't ask easy questions."

"That's not an answer." Kin snorted.

"It's none of your business, you know." Yuki said.

Kin just glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, "That's not an answer either."

Yuki blew out an exasperated breath. "I don't know!" They reached the crest and paused for breath. "I know that she deserves to be happy. She says she needs both of us for that."

"What about you? Will that make you happy, having him there?"

Yuki looked at Tooru and Kyou waiting a little up the path. He couldn't remember the last time he'd thought of just Tooru and himself. It had been Tooru and Kyou for so long now he honestly couldn't imagine it being just being Tooru.

"I don't know if it will make me happy." Yuki said finally. "But right now I don't know if I could manage without him. It's taken all three of us to get this far."

"Yuki-kun," Tooru said jogging back. "Are you alright?"

"Yes." Yuki said smiling. "I was just catching my breath."

"I've got to get home." Kin said. "I've got dinner to make."

"It was good seeing Kin-san again." Tooru said. "Thank you for sitting with me. And listening."

"I still think you're pretty weird." Kin said, tugging her long ponytail. "You take care of him, okay? He's a good guy."

"I will!" Tooru said happily. She took Yuki's hand in hers. "He's a great person!"

"Take care of yourself too." Kin said. "You're weird, but you're nice."

"Kin-san too!" Tooru went red, realizing how that could sound. "I mean Kin-san is nice, not weird!"

Kin laughed.

"C'mon already!" Kyou shouted. "It's getting dark!"

"Coming!" Tooru said and started to run back.

"Goodbye." Yuki said. He started back towards Tooru. "Thank you Kin-san. For everything."

"I haven't done anything." Kin said, shuffling her feet.

"You listened." Yuki disagreed. "And you asked difficult questions."

"Can't say as anyone's ever thanked me for that." Kin shrugged. "But, you're welcome." She took a deep breath. "I hope we meet again someday." This was the final goodbye.

"I hope so." Yuki said. "And I hope Kin-san is happy too."

::0::0::

"Ma!" Kazuya called, "We're back!"

"Oh, good." Mai said bustling up to the front of the restaurant. "Keiko just sat down to eat. I'll set up your table."

"Is there trouble again?" Yuki asked. Ginta was on the serving floor again, standing by a booth in the back. The restaurant was empty besides the back booth and Keiko sitting in a booth by the kitchen entrance. All he could see of the person sitting in the back booth was a leg and a beat up duffel bag.

Mai glanced back and gave a pitying frown. "There may be." She looked at Yuki and Kyou with a considering look. "It's probably a good thing we have you boys here. We might need your help with a guest."

"What's going on?" Tooru asked. "Yuki slipped earlier, he might not be able to-"

"I'm fine Honda-san." Yuki said.

"I just want another!" A voice shouted from the back booth. "Jus' one more, okay. Please?"

"I think you've had enough, son." Ginta said, having to speak loudly over the patron's plea for just one more. "It's not going to help. Why don't you finish your dumplings there."

"What do you know? How am I supposed to tell him? _I've_ got to tell him. It's going to kill him. Oh God." The man's voice sounded desperate. He started to sob. "I can't believe it. How am I going to tell him? And that sweet girl too. It's sick. The whole family. They're all sick, that's why this happened."

"What's going on?" Kazuya asked in a hushed voice. The man sounded absolutely crushed and desperate.

"It seems he lost someone in the storm." Mai whispered. "He's been in every bar and just about every other place that serves alcohol. We've managed to get some food into him, but I don't think he's going to leave easy. We've got a call into Matsumoto, but he said it might be a while before he gets here."

"I didn't think anyone died in the storm." Kazuya said craning his neck to try to look at the man. "Did you guys here anything- Kyou? Are you okay?"

Kyou had gone white and was staring at the corner booth.

"Kyou?" Kazuya repeated, louder.

The man suddenly went silent. There was a clatter of plates, glasses and silverware falling against each other and the floor. Ginta was knocked to the floor as the man burst from out of the booth.

"Kyou!?" A tall, thin man crossed the restaurant in what seemed like three giant strides, knocking down chairs as he went. "Kyou!" He wrapped the shocked boy in his arms. "You're alive! I thought- Oh God! I saw the clearing, and the shack was totaled. All your stuff was still up there, I thought- Oh thank God! When I found the picture I thought for sure-!" He had a crumpled, dirty photo in his hand. "I didn't know how I was going to tell Sensei."

"Mother!" Tooru said recognizing the photo. "Where-"

"Tooru!" The man stepped back from Kyou. "You're alive!" He pushed his bangs out of his eyes.

_"Kunimitsu?" _Kyou finally managed.

"Who-?" Mai said.

"Shi-han's, Kyou's father's, assistant." Yuki said through numb lips.

It was discovered. The Souma's had found them.

::0::0::

_That's a bit of a cliffhanger isn't it? I'm sorry! But it's almost 60 pages as it is! Next up is Full Course. -Merrow_


	25. Spring Showers, Spring Flowers

Before this chapter starts off, I have to give you all a little background. When I first started this story, long, long ago, the anime was still airing and the manga wasn't very far along. It's important to note that because when this story started it was around when the 9th anime episode aired (the new years episode) and around when I'd read the 8th volume of the manga. This whole story takes place around that time in the anime and manga, more or less. So while everything that is in the manga is true, Tooru, Yuki and Kyou are only aware of events up to that point. That becomes important in this chapter when you might wonder why Tooru doesn't know some things "we" know as readers of the manga. - Merrow

::0::0::

Kyou shoved Tooru behind him and took up a defensive pose. Kunimitsu had been one of his teachers when he was younger, but he was certain he could take the older man if it came down to a serious fight. Kunimitsu had never had a true warrior's spirit, he didn't want to hurt anyone. At the moment, Kyou was willing to hurt.

"Kyou?" Kunimitsu's brow wrinkled.

"I'll get our stuff." Yuki said flicking his attention between Kyou and Kunimitsu. "Honda-san, come with me." He held out a hand. He'd pull her away as soon as she gave him her hand. He wished the curse had given them some useful abilities. Telepathy... so he could tell Kyou that he and Tooru would duck out back and he should meet them as soon as he took the man down. The ability to stop time so they could run. Even Hatori's mind wipe, Yuki would kill for that ability now. Kyou glanced at him and they'd spent enough time together that he almost could read the other boy's thoughts. Get her out of here. "Honda-san!" Yuki said firmly.

"B-but-" Tooru said.

"Yuki-kun is here too." Kunimitsu said with a smile, wavering on his feet. "I heard that you ran away together, but part of me still didn't believe it." He scratched the back of his head. "I'm so relieved." He swayed in place, and managed to stumble over his own feet. "I'm so relieved." He sat down heavily, almost collapsing into an Indian style seat on the floor among the toppled chairs and plates. "I'm so relieved."

"Now, Honda-san!" Yuki said and reached over and grabbed her hand to tug her away. He glanced at Kyou and the cat nodded, slowly backing up. Kyou was giving Yuki time to hustle Tooru off while guarding their backs. Yuki dragged Tooru towards the kitchen door.

"But, Yuki-kun-" Tooru said looking at the man crumpled on the floor.

"We have to go." Kyou said over her shoulder. "Now, if we're going to get ahead of them."

Tooru stumbled over her feet. Yuki's grip was like an iron vise around her hand. "But-"

"Now, hold up." Yuki looked up to see Mai and Hiroki in front of the door to the kitchen. Hiroki crossed his arms, obviously blocking the door. "What's going on?"

Yuki's mouth twisted. He could get them out of the way, though maybe not without hurting them. There was more a danger of him getting accidentally transformed by Mai. He glanced behind him at the restaurant exit. Kazuya was in the way, but he could be pushed aside easily enough. He glanced at Kyou and the boy nodded. Kyou turned so he could block for Yuki as the mouse turned back to take Tooru out the front door. They'd have to leave their things, Yuki grimaced, and their money. They'd be starting from zero.

The bell above the door tinkled and the police officer, Matsumoto, stood next to Kazuya. He was a broad man, and solid. He'd been the ranking officer in this little village since he was twenty, and at forty was comfortable with his position and his ability to keep order. He tipped his hat back and took in the scene.

Yuki and Kyou had bookended themselves on either side of Tooru, a defensive clump against the line spread out across the dining room. Ginta had gotten to his feet and was standing next to Keiko's table. Kunimitsu was still collapsed on the floor amid overturned chairs, broken plates and cutlery. Hiroki and Mai were blocking the kitchen exit.

Matsumoto looked at Kazuya. "Looks like you folks are closing early tonight. Why don't you go ahead and flip the sign, Kazuya-kun." Kazuya scrambled to comply.

Yuki and Kyou exchanged glances over Tooru's head. This was the first time they'd met Matsumoto. They'd expecting a laid back and soft man, like most people in this town. But Matsumoto looked like he knew how to fight, and fight dirty. This was quickly spiraling out of control.

"So, Iwaya-san," Matsumoto nodded to Ginta, "What's going on here?"

Kunimitsu surged up from the floor, nearly falling over. "I'm sorry. This is my fault." He apologized. "I fell." He swayed and looked confused. "I... I think I might have had too much to drink."

"You think so?" Matsumoto said, his hard stare encompassing the room. That might explain the mess, but not the teenagers. If there was one thing a cop knew how to spot, it was someone on the defensive, someone ready to run. He'd been meaning to stop by and take a look at Mai's newest strays. He might have put it off for too long.

"Yesh," The tall man frowned, "Yes." Kunimitsu said more clearly. "I'm sorry for the trouble." Kunimitsu rubbed hard at his eyes. "I'm sorry. I'm very sorry for the trouble, it's just that, you see... I thought they died." He took a shuddering breath and tried to look sober. "I really thought they died." He still clutched the battered and muddy photo in his hand.

"Kunimitsu-san." Tooru said and startled Yuki by breaking free of his slackened grasp to go to the tall man. "I'm sorry. We didn't mean to scare you."

Kunimitsu's mouth trembled and he ran one unsteady hand down the side of her head through her hair. "I th-thought you and Kyou were under that rubble somewhere. I was too much of a coward to look myself." He swayed and then opened his arms and hugged her tight. "Thank god! Thank god!"

Tooru let herself be embraced, closing her eyes and leaning in against him. She'd hardly known this man, she'd only met him maybe two or three times when she'd visited at Kazuma's. But she wasn't afraid of him. She honestly had thought that no one would miss her much. She knew his concern was mostly for Kyou, but he'd been worried for her too and her heart was too big not to acknowledge him.

Keiko stood up. Ginta glanced at her and then Mai. The kids had said they were running from a dangerous family trying to separate them, but this drunken, sobbing man hardly seemed threatening.

"I think," Keiko said surveying the boys as they looked helplessly at Tooru. They couldn't believe she'd willingly put herself in the grasp of someone from home. "I think that we've got this covered, Matsumoto-san."

She was feeling guilty now for helping them with their school paperwork. If this was the representative of the family they ran away from she should have used her instincts and called the police to have them dragged home as the wayward children they were. But now she'd engaged in subterfuge and sullied her own name if she was found out. She could lose her job over this kind of thing! But she'd fix it.

"Hn." Matsumoto grunted. "You think so?" He wasn't so sure.

"Yes." Mai said nodding slowly. Her mind was on an entirely different track then Keiko's. Instead of feeling betrayed by the three, or thinking that their stories were exaggerated, she was just happy that they'd found some connection to their past. Maybe now they'd give up this foolish notion of living on their own and go home. She'd miss them, but she wanted them to be happy. But it had to be their choice or they'd just run again. "We're sorry for dragging you out here, I know you've been swamped lately. But we called before they reunited." She spread her hands. "Now I'm not so worried about what, er, Kunimitsu?" Kunimitsu nodded, "Kunimitsu-san might do, accidentally, to himself."

"Has he got a place to stay tonight?" Matsumoto asked. The Sunset was still out of commission and he figured that the Iwaya's were full up, what with the extra kids. The man was obviously too drunk to go far on his own power for the night.

"He can sleep in the living room." Mai said, glancing at Ginta.

"I think we have another futon." Ginta nodded. Keiko's mouth twisted, but she knew it was the best option to keep the kids from bolting. If they ran now, they'd be taking her life along with them. If the school board found out she'd helped the teens, her career and reputation would be ruined. What had she been thinking? Her mother had influenced her too much.

"I'll help clean up this mess." Kunimitsu said, slowly starting to sober. He'd released Tooru from his death grip hug, but still kept an arm slung over her shoulder as if assuring himself of her reality. He gave an unsteady little bow to the cop. "I am sorry for the trouble I caused."

Matsumoto knew when people were trying to get rid of him. He glanced at Mai and Ginta and gave an internal sigh, his face still stony and blank to the rest of the room. When they were united on something it was useless to interfere. "Well, I've got a couple other calls to take care of tonight. If you need me, just give me a holler." He gave the man and teens a stern warning look. "I can be back in minutes."

He was going to check his runaway reports tonight. He hadn't had time with the storm and the problems it caused, but he wanted to know what the too generous Iwayas had gotten themselves involved in now.

::0::0::

"Well," Mai said after Matsumoto had left. "I think that everyone could use some tea."

"Kazuya." Keiko said, her eyes flicking to Yuki and Kyou. Their eyes were getting wild. They looked like they were getting more and more panicked. She wanted her little brother safely out of the way. "Go over to my place and tell Rei I'm going to be late. Would you mind staying there a bit? Rei's got work to do and I need someone to watch Makoto."

"But I haven't had dinner yet!" Kazuya protested, clutching his soccer ball. He didn't want to miss this.

Keiko marched over to him, passing uncomfortably close to Yuki and Kyou, and pulled a wad of money out of her purse. She stuffed it into his hands. "Go buy a bento at the convenience store." She grabbed his shoulders and turned him towards the door.

"But-"

"Son." Ginta said in the tone fathers used to lay down the law. "Go on and help your sister." He didn't think the boys would intentionally hurt Kazuya, but he'd seen them eying the door. It was safer to get him out of the way.

Kazuya's shoulders slumped. He knew better than to argue when his father sounded like that. "Alright." He glanced over his shoulder as he went out the door. Tooru gave him a smile. He flushed and hurried out. Keiko locked the door behind him.

"I'm sorry for the mess." Kunimitsu said again. "I'll pay for anything I broke." He was still too drunk to stand straight on his own. He didn't drink often and now he was starting to feel sick.

Ginta nodded. "If there's anything of worth, otherwise it's nothing that's unexpected in a restaurant. Dishes get broken." He glanced at Mai. "You're getting the tea, missus?"

"I'll get it." Hiroki said with a shrug. "It's made in the kitchen."

"Boys." Ginta snapped, "Why don't we put some tables together and sit down?" Yuki and Kyou exchanged glances. The thought was clear on both their faces. Grab Tooru, run.

Ginta sighed. "You said yourselves that you panicked when you ran last time."

Yuki flinched at the reminder.

Tooru looked up at Kunimitsu and then back at Yuki and Kyou. She could practically feel the tension in the two boys. Why were they so afraid? Kunimitsu had never been anything but a friend to Kyou's father. She could see the man was starting to look worried too.

"Let's use these tables." She said stepping out of Kunimitsu's light grip. She smiled at the man. "Why don't you sit here Kunimitsu-san?" She worried he might fall over. He was like Yuki when he got strange on his medications.

"Thanks." He said and sat down heavily. He put his head down, resting on his arms. Tooru walked over to the table next to his and tried to push it over to butt up against it's neighbor. It wouldn't budge.

"Kyou-kun?" She said looking up. "Could you help me?"

The cat started and glanced at the rat. Yuk shrugged. They were trapped at the moment. They just had to hope that Kunimitsu wasn't here with anyone.

Kyou helped Tooru move the table over. Yuki ran a hand through his hair, mind racing. They couldn't really sit around drinking tea when the Soumas could be here any moment, could they? What options did they have?

He was sure that Hiroki must have locked the back door when he went in the kitchen, and the bolt on the front door was secured. They were trapped. He looked up and found Keiko watching him with naked suspicion. The only way now was to talk their way out. He looked around and was about to pick up a chair when Kyou grabbed it out of his hands.

"Quit it, Rat. You shouldn't be lifting anything after taking that fall." He said and moved the chair into place. In a lower voice he said, "Save your energy we might have to run any minute."

"I know that!" Yuki said, louder then he'd intended. "I'm fine!"

"Listen to your friends." Hiroki said coming out of the kitchen with the tea. "I had a back injury and it still bothers me because I was too stupid to let it heal properly."

Kunimitsu started to snore from his seat at the table.

"He's asleep?" Keiko said. "How much did you give him to drink?"

"He didn't drink anything here." Ginta shrugged. "We just fed him. Don't know how much he managed to get into himself before he got here."

"Well, it's just as well." Mai said. "We want him talking sense anyway. Let's eat dinner and let him sleep it off a little."

"You can't be serious, Ma!" Keiko said before Yuki or Kyou could even form a response. "We've got to get this settled!"

"Food is already made." Ginta shrugged. "And we'll all be in a better mood with full stomachs." He glanced at Tooru. "Will you help me carry it out?" He looked at Yuki and Kyou. "We'll need a few more place settings around that table."

Yuki and Kyou looked at each other.

"Coming Ginta-san!" Tooru said following him like a puppy into the kitchen.

Kyou started to swear under his breath but stalked over to a table and grabbed a place setting. Yuki followed suit, but without the grumbling. Mai bustled around the front of the restaurant turning off the lights and drawing the curtains so that they wouldn't be bothered by customers or the curious.

"Keiko, why don't you make sure there are enough teacups and start pouring?" Mai said, accepting a platter of food from Tooru with a smile. "And get your plate so you can finish your dinner."

"I don't believe you." Keiko huffed as she went to grab her plate, sounding more like a rebellious teenager than a full grown woman with a child of her own.

::0::0::

Yuki and Kyou sandwiched Tooru between them and picked at their food. Kunimitsu sat opposite them, snoring against the tablecloth. Tooru could feel the fear and anxiety pouring off them, and while she was nervous too she couldn't understand why they were so afraid. Kunimitsu was Kazuma's friend and student. He couldn't take her memories like Hatori could. He wasn't even a Souma. But he could tell them what was happening at home. She had a thousand questions she wanted to ask him.

Was Kazuma mad that they'd run away? Had he heard from Shigure? Was Shigure living alone or had he moved back to the main house? What about Kagura? And Momiji? And Hatsuharu? Were they doing well in school? Did he know Ayame? Did Ayame miss his brother, or did he understand why Yuki had come with them without saying anything?

Maybe... maybe they weren't really as mad as they'd thought about them leaving. Maybe they could go home. Tooru glanced at Yuki and Kyou as she ate her meal. They'd run away so fast... maybe Akito had changed his mind and he wouldn't take her memories. Maybe he'd let her stay and they could all go back to school. That might be too much to hope for, but they wouldn't know until they asked, right? It couldn't hurt to ask. Kunimitsu probably wouldn't know, but he'd be able to tell them something about what had happened while they were gone. Maybe, if everyone wasn't angry, it wouldn't be so bad.

As the food congealed on Yuki and Kyou's plates, and it became obvious that Kunimitsu wasn't going to stir, Keiko lost her patience completely.

"This is ridiculous!" She said throwing down her chopsticks. "Are we really just going to sit here until he wakes up?! These three have been lying all this time and we're just going to sit down and have a meal like they've done nothing wrong?"

"We haven't been lying!" Kyou jumped up angrily. "Where do you get off calling us liars!?"

"Kyou-kun!" Tooru said looking between Keiko and and Kyou anxiously.

"Are you really going to try to deny-"

"Keiko, this isn't going to solve-" Mai started.

"Not now, Ma." Keiko snapped. "You-"

"Don't talk to your mother that way-" Ginta said standing up.

"Um-" Tooru started trying to figure out how to diffuse this argument.

"Keiko-san doesn't have to worry, we'll leave tonight and we'll just forget about her being our sponsor-" Yuki started, still seated. His back was throbbing now. Whether it was rigid tension he was feeling, or just that he'd been sitting long enough to feel the damage from his fall earlier that was making it hurt, it definitely was a distraction he didn't need.

Mai, Tooru and Keiko started talking at the same time.

"But what will you do-" Mai started.

"Good! I'm not going to be taken advantage-" Keiko spat.

"Then we won't be able to go to school?" Tooru asked, clutching her hands together.

"ENOUGH!" Hiroki shouted, his deep voice cutting through everything. He banged his soup bowl hard on the table like a gavel. "ENOUGH!"

"Waszat?" Kunimitsu said lifting his head blearily. He blinked at the suddenly quiet room. His face crumpled. "Oh, crap. I think I'm gonna be sick."

"This way!" Ginta said jumping up and helping Kunimitsu over to the public washroom in the back.

Keiko started to open her mouth to perhaps restart her tirade. "Don't you start!" Hiroki said. "Let's wait to see what the man has to say. We're not going to solve anything shouting at each other." The usually genial man's anger startled the woman into silence.

"I'm sorry." Tooru whispered, as if speaking loudly would turn all the tension in the room against her. "We didn't mean to make anyone mad."

Kyou wanted to lash out, to break something, or at least shout and yell. Instead he fumbled for and gripped Tooru's hand under the table. He'd only just started to really feel like part of a family. He'd begun to hope and dream. He'd begun to picture it in his head. They'd eat breakfast together and then he'd leave for work while Yuki and Tooru got ready for school. Tooru might even give him a kiss goodbye, and she'd pack him a lunch...When he got home they'd be waiting for him to have dinner. He hadn't quite figured out all the details, like if she'd give him a kiss hello when he got home, or if they'd still sleep all together in a clump, or what he'd be doing for work. But now it was all gone. He'd be in that awful place, that room for the Cat. He'd never see her or the Rat again.

He wished he'd never run away. This was so much worse, to have had a dream of something more and then had it snatched away. He wondered if Akito had let them stay away this long just to maximize the hurt when the dream smashed.

"Kyou-kun?" Tooru whispered. He was shaking. She could feel his hand trembling in hers and his face had gone pale. She'd never seen him so white. His grip was starting to hurt.

Yuki glanced over, breaking off his stare with Keiko. "Baka Neko?"

"I ain't going back." Kyou whispered, he just flicked his eyes towards Yuki. He swallowed thickly and his eyes were wild. "I can't." His voice didn't carry past Yuki and Tooru.

"I know." Yuki said, straightening in his seat. "We won't." He looked at Kyou steadily. "We won't."

Ginta and Kunimitsu came out of the bathroom. Kunimitsu looked green, but much more alert.

"Get the boy some tea, missus." Ginta said to Mai. "And we'll try to sort this all out, yeah?"

Mai nodded and poured some tea for both of them. Kunimitsu took it gratefully as he sank back into his seat.

"Thank you," he sighed. "I'm sorry to cause so much fuss." He grinned at Kyou. "I haven't been that drunk since Sensei's belated New Years party back when you were eight. Do you remember that?"

Kyou just looked at him. How could he talk about inconsequential things like that?

"Kyou?" Kunimitsu repeated when the boy didn't answer. His mouth quirked down as he studied the boy. "You're so skinny."

"They've had a tough time of it." Mai said sympathetically. "They were surviving on who knows what up there on the mountain. Dr. Kitagawa said they were suffering from starvation when they came down. You should have seen them right after the storm, poor Tooru-chan looked like a starved, drowned cat. Can you believe they've actually gained weight since then?"

Kunimitsu turned greener. "I'm just glad you're all okay." He shook his head. "When I saw that clearing-" He stopped again and took a bracing sip of his tea.

"Yuki-kun was the only one that was hurt." Tooru assured him. "And he's getting better."

"You got hurt?" Kunimitsu said incredulously. He didn't know the boy outside of the lessons Kazuma used to give him when he was a child, but even then he'd been so quick. "You did?"

Yuki colored, he'd gotten used to being treated as just a regular person. Of course the perfect Rat of Souma family couldn't possible allow himself to get hurt. "When one of the walls came down, I was struck."

"Yuki-kun was protecting me." Tooru said softly. "And Kyou-kun." She added.

Kunimitsu went another interesting shade of green.

"Well," Mai said, breaking the uneasy silence. "I'm sure everyone at home will be happy to hear that they're okay." She smiled. "If you want to phone to let everyone know, we have one over by the podium you can use. Oh, but," she paused, "you might want to wait until you can tell them when you'll all be returning."

"Returning?" Kunimitsu's eyes widened and he looked at Kyou. "You weren't planning on coming back, were you? You can't!"

"What?" Mai gaped. "You don't want them to come home?"

"It's not safe!" Kunimitsu said setting down his tea. He looked at Kyou urgently. "Can't you stay where ever you've been the past couple weeks? What's the problem? Is it money?" He started patting his pockets. "I've got some, and Sensei gave me some, just in case-"

Yuki shared a look over Tooru's head with Kyou. The Cat knew the man better then Yuki did, did he understand what Kunimitsu was talking about? Kyou gave a slight shake of his head.

"Kunimitsu-san." Yuki said, distracting the man from his search. "Why are you here if Shi-han didn't ask that you come and take us home?"

The man grimaced and rubbed a hand through his hair. "Sorry. I'm not thinking clearly. Of course you'd assume that." He gave a big sigh. "I wasn't sent here exactly. I came on my own. Sensei is being watched too closely, he couldn't tell me directly so it took me a while to figure it out."

"Figure what out?" Ginta asked. "Watched by who?"

"The Soumas." Kunimitsu said. He looked at Yuki and Kyou. "You didn't explain?"

"We tried." Yuki said, flicking his eyes at Keiko. He wasn't sure how much Kunimitsu really knew about the family. Had Kazuma told him about the curse? "But if Shi-han didn't tell you to come-"

"Sensei called me and told me to turn on the TV, to watch the news report." Kunimitsu said and turned to the Iyawas. "Did you know you made the national news? The storm did a lot of damage everywhere it touched, but one hasn't made it this far inland or up the mountain in years. Everyone was talking about it. It was all over the news."

He shook his head. "I didn't understand what Sensei's interest was at first. He had to remind me that we used to train up here, before he adopted you." He ran a hand through his hair and looked at Kyou. "I almost slipped and asked wasn't it where he used to take you too. That's when I figured it out."

"I didn't think anyone knew." Kyou said. "About the clearing."

"I didn't know exactly." Kunimitsu said. "But knowing you were here, I figured it had to be somewhere in Sensei's training area. I don't know if Sensei had known either. He just asked if I had time if I could check to see what the damage was, since he couldn't get away himself. So, I came, to see if I could find out what happened to you three. I hoped to find you safe, when I saw the clearing, and your things-" His eyes went wet. "Anyway..." He said clearing his throat. "I just came to make sure you weren't hurt."

"Why couldn't Shi-han come?" Yuki asked his stomach lurching. There was something about the way Kunimitsu said that, a little too casually, that bothered him. "And you said he called you... doesn't Kunimitsu-san board with Shi-han?"

The man grimaced, "You were always quick, Yuki-kun."

Kyou looked between them, starting to feel uneasy. "What?"

"Akito closed the dojo and dismissed all of Sensei's students."

"What!" Kyou stood up and slapped his hand on the table. "He can't do that! It's Shishou's dojo!

"It's built on Souma land." Yuki said. "And partially funded by the family."

"Why didn't know that before?" Kyou said sliding defeated back into his seat. "Shishou never told me."

"Who is Akito?" Keiko asked. "Why would he do that?" The Iwayas were out of their depth. It was obvious now that the teenagers had not been exaggerating about what they'd run away from. If anything, they downplayed the situation.

"Akito is the head of the Souma family." Kunimitsu said. "And a sick, sick man. He's spread his sickness through the whole family, and they cater to his every whim. Since you three left he's tightened his hold on everything, everyone."

"What do you mean?" Ginta asked. "Everyone?"

"Well, on the Junninshi mostly." Kunimitsu said, and seeing the blank looks on the Iwayas he sighed. "It's hard to explain. I don't understand all the details myself. But the Souma's have a sort of inner circle, it's based on the Junninshi... you know the zodiac?" He didn't wait for the Iwaya's to catch up. "I don't know how they're picked exactly, most of them are just kids." He shook his head again. "There are twelve of them, thirteen if you include the Cat." He shook his head. "It's like...like they're the aristocracy of the family, at least the main Junninshi. Yuki is the Rat. Kyou is the Cat. The Junninshi are honored, but the Cat is a scapegoat. It's like the old stories come to life."

"So that's where those pet names came from." Hiroki said.

"They aren't pet names!" Kyou spat.

"Scapegoat?" Mai said, looking at Kyou. The boy was so white and he hadn't touched his dinner. He'd always seemed like the strong one out of the bunch, the one who forged ahead while the others were taking their time to recover. Now the brash teen looked small and so young.

Kunimitsu shook his head, trying to figure out how to explain it. "Remember when you were in middle school, or grade school, and there was that one student that everyone made fun of? They were always the butt of jokes, always excluded?" Kunimitsu looked at Kyou, as if apologizing for revealing an embarrassment from his past. "That's how they all treated Kyou, how the parents taught their children to treat him."

"But that's...horrible." Mai said.

Kunimitsu nodded. "But the rest of them, they're treated like little princes and princesses." He glanced at Yuki. "No offense."

"None taken." Yuki said, inclining his head. He knew how his life looked to an outsider's eye.

"At least, that's how it appears." Kunimitsu fiddled with his teacup. "Once you get to know them you know it's not true. They might not be bullied or looked down on the way that Kyou was, but the whole family is so sick and twisted! It's like they don't see them as people. It's like they're expected to act a certain way, just because they're the Rat or the Ox or whatever. And Akito, he was allowed to do whatever he wanted with them."

"You said that Akito tightened his hold." Yuki said. "What do you mean?"

"He's called them all back to the honke." Kunimitsu said. "He's pulled the younger ones out of school even. They aren't allowed to leave the grounds of the family compound."

"My brother." Yuki said sitting straight in concern. "Nii-san's store?"

"Closed." Kunimitsu said. "He's back in his home in the honke."

"But Mine-san!" Tooru said gasping.

"Who is-?" Kunimitsu asked.

"Nii-san's assistant. She worked with him in his shop." Yuki said looking upset. "Nii-san loved his store."

"I don't know what happened to her, I assume she was dismissed." Kunimitsu said. He paused as if uncertain if he should say more. "I heard, and I don't know if this is true, but I heard that Akito had the contents of Ayame's store burned and forced him to watch. Akito thought you might have contacted him, that he might have some idea where you had gone." He took a deep breath. "I think you should know that he didn't tell Akito anything. Not even that he didn't know."

"Nii-san." Yuki said softly. This more than any gesture or stupid speech, showed how much his brother really cared for him. "But... he loved his store."

"Yuki-kun." Tooru said and took his hand. She looked up at Kunimitsu. "But...what about everyone else?"

"I don't know everything." The man said. "Akito allows Sensei and I into the compound once a week to give martial arts lessons to the younger ones. I think he hopes that Kyou will contact Sensei and that he might pass along a message to the others." He looked suddenly nervous and uncomfortable. "Momiji has joined the lessons now, I think he just wants something to do he doesn't seem very interested in martial arts. He does learn quick though."

"There is something you're not telling us." Yuki said softly. "Who was hurt?"

Kunimitsu looked up. "Like I said, I don't know everything.."

"But you know something." Yuki insisted. "Someone was hurt."

"Sensei also visits the hospital. He's bribed the nurses to let him in..." Kunimitsu took a deep breath. "Right now Rin and Kagura are there."

"Rin?" Tooru looked at Yuki and Kyou. She didn't know that name.

"The Horse." Yuki said shortly. "She's a girl, about year older than us. You haven't met her. But... she's often been in the hospital. She has stomach problems and her health has been bad since childhood." He looked at Kunimitsu. "Why-?"

"It's not her stomach this time. She's recovering from a more severe injury. It... It turns out that she and Haru had been dating."

Yuki took a deep inhalation of breath. "Akito found out?"

"I've only heard second-hand accounts." Kunimitsu said. "But her back was injured. It seems... it seems she fell through a window on the second floor. No one really knows what happened... But someone said they saw Akito push her."

Mai gasped.

"You can't be serious!" Keiko said. "If this Akito person did such things he'd be in jail!"

Kunimitsu shook his head. "The Souma family has been established for over five hundred years. You can't imagine how deep their influence goes."

"What happened to Hatsuharu?" Yuki asked. "Was he hurt too?"

"No, not physically." Kunimitsu said. "He still comes to practice, but he doesn't talk much these days. Even less then he used to."

"You said Kagura was in the hospital." Kyou said, not wanting to ask and not wanting to know, but having to. "Her mom always kept her away from Akito... how could she have gotten hurt?"

"Momiji said that Akito pulls them in for... I don't know what to call them, interviews? Meetings?" Kunimitsu scrubbed a hand over his face. "I don't know. But they never know when they'll be called or for how long. I don't know why, at this point he has to know they don't know where you went."

"But Kagura-chan..." Tooru said.

Kunimitsu nodded. "Momiji said that Kagura was called...and they don't know what happened, but there was a lot of arguing, and you know how Kagura-chan can be. Afterwards Akito started yelling for Hatori."

"What did he do to her?" Kyou said through numb lips. He knew what buttons Akito must have pressed. There was only one thing that got Kagura that riled, that made her throw all caution to the wind.

"We haven't been allowed to see her." Kunimitsu said. "But she'll be okay. Hatori-san told Sensei that, if the operations go well, she'll regain full use of her hand."

"What... she...But-" Kyou's mind gave him a kaleidescope of images, picturing what had to be done to put a hand into that condition, picturing it happening to Kagura, because of him. His stomach gave a heave. He covered his mouth and thrust himself back from the table, dashing for the bathroom.

Tooru watched him go, tears tracking down her face. "B-but Kagura-chan is so strong. She even beats up Kyou-kun." She could only think of the smiling girl who freely confessed her love while pasting little paper shapes on the screen. Thinking of her hurt and broken in a hospital, she couldn't reconcile the two images. It didn't seem real.

"It doesn't matter." Yuki said, blank faced and remote. "We can't fight back against Akito." He knew Tooru would understand that it was a part of the curse. But for the benefit of the Iwayas, he gave them an excuse they could understand. "If she fought back, her mother might have been hurt, or one of the others."

"So what then... Akito can just do what ever he wants?" Keiko said, looking shaken. She wanted to prove that such horrible things couldn't exist, couldn't possibly exist.

"With the Junninshi at least, yes." Kunimitsu said. "I knew they were screwed up, ever since I heard what they planned to do with Kyou-"

"Shut up about that!" Kyou said, leaning unsteadily against the wall near the bathroom.

Tooru shivered. The few times she'd met Kunimitsu he'd seemed like such a carefree and pleasant man. Now he sounded like a man possessed and broken. She looked back and forth between Kyou and Kunimitsu. "Going to do with Kyou-kun?" She looked up at Kyou and he wouldn't meet her eyes. "What were they going to do?"

"You never told her?" Kunimitsu said looking at Kyou. "If she didn't know, why did she come with you? Why did you run?"

"Told me what?" Tooru asked again, looking at Yuki this time.

Yuki covered her hand reassuringly. "It's not important now." He looked at Kunimitsu. "We left because Honda-san's friends found out about her living arrangements, which was against Akito's rules that allowed her to stay with us. We worried for her safety, so we left."

Kunimitsu nodded.

"Wait, wait, wait." Keiko said holding up a hand. "You can't just leave it at that. Who was going to do what to Kyou and why? You make it sound like they planned something awful."

"They did." Kunimitsu said. "Kyou is the Cat, and they have special "traditions" for dealing with the Cat."

"There are special traditions for all of us. As the Rat, I was expected to be at Akito's side." Yuki said, feeling the familiar coldness take over him. His princely aura, something he'd manged to throw off for so long was settling back into place. Kunimitsu may not have intended to bring them home, but the Rat's clever mind was already making leaps and bounds. He had to prepare himself, and lock away these troublesome feelings and hopes. He drew his hand away from Tooru's and refused to look back at the Cat. "It was considered a place of honor. Akito, you see, has his own place in the zodiac. He is our God." His lip curled in a smirk. "My parents gave me to him when I was five."

"They _gave_-"

"I was to be groomed to serve as his right hand." Yuki interrupted Mai calmly, taking a sip of tea as if he was discussing the weather. Tooru tried to take his hand, not liking this distant and cold Yuki, but he shifted so that she couldn't. "After graduation from high school, I was to return and begin learning my duties."

Tooru gasped. She'd never known. She's assumed that he'd be going to college, not that he'd be going back to the darkness of the honke. Why hadn't he ever told her?

"But Kyou," Yuki was sneering now. This was the expression he was supposed to be wearing when he spoke of the Cat. He'd have to learn it and make it natural again if he wanted Akito to believe it. He had to rekindle the old hatred. The problem was, he couldn't remember really why he'd hated Kyou. "Kyou has a special house all prepared for him."

"Shut it, you damn Rat!" Kyou shouted, stomping back to the table.

"Special house?" Tooru asked, her voice almost a whisper. Yuki was scaring her. He wouldn't look at her and he felt so distant.

"It's one room, with one row of high windows, barred. It's a special cage built just for the Cat." Yuki said, finally looking up at Kyou. The Cat loomed over him trying to look threatening. It might have worked if he didn't look so scared. "Kyou was to be locked inside of it after graduation, and stay there until he died."

Tooru gave a little gasp and looked up at Kyou for confirmation. He looked away, ashamed.

"You were just going to let that happen?" Hiroki asked after a moments shocked silence. "Your family, all of them, they were just going to let it happen?"

"Sensei didn't want to. He wanted to fight it, but he said it was useless if Kyou wouldn't fight it himself." Kunimitsu said looking at Kyou.

"Kyou-kun?" Tooru said standing up and going to him. She tugged at his shirt. "Kyou-kun was going to fight it, wasn't he?"

The Cat didn't look at her. "I gave my word." Kyou said. "I didn't have a choice, not unless I-" He stopped. He put his hands over Tooru's wrapped in the hem of his shirt. "It doesn't matter anymore."

Yuki turned to look at Kyou. "Unless what?" There was no 'unless' to the Cat's fate.

"Never mind." Kyou said glaring at Yuki. The Rat was acting weird.

"Tell me." Yuki said standing up. "If there is some way maybe we can use it-"

"I made a bet with Akito!" Kyou said. "If I beat you, before graduation, then I wouldn't have to be locked up."

Yuki stared at Kyou in disbelief. That's why he'd always attacked him, why he'd been so desperate to beat him? Kyou'd staked his whole life on being able to knock him down?

"Are you a moron?!" Yuki shouted, he flew up from his chair ignoring the painful twinge from his back and side as he moved. "What the hell were you thinking?!"

"I was thinking it it wouldn't be that hard!" Kyou yelled back, on familiar footing now. "What with you being a pampered little princess!"

"Why didn't you ever say anything about it?" Yuki's voice was harsh. All those times he thought the Cat was just being stupid, prideful and annoying, Kyou had been fighting for his freedom.

"Why would I? What, would you have just let me win then?" Kyou waved an arm, nearly striking Tooru who was still clutching at his shirt. "Do you think Akito would have accepted that? Do you think I would have?!"

Yuki snapped his mouth shut, fuming.

"Why-" Yuki and Kyou started and looked down at Tooru. They'd almost forgotten she was there. "Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun never told me. After graduation... I would have lost both Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun? I never would have seen them again?" And she'd been looking forward to it! With all her heart!

Her face was a mess, she'd started crying around the time she'd heard about Ayame's store and hadn't stopped since. She'd been too shocked to even wipe away her tears. In the space of just a few minutes she'd learned that Kagura was hurt, learned that Haru had had a girlfriend and had her taken away all in the same moment, and that their leaving had thrown everyone's lives into shambles. Even Kunimitsu and Mine had been effected!

But selfishly, the fact that stood out the most was that all those times she'd been happily counting days until graduation she'd actually been getting closer to losing them. And not just being separated, they would have been gone and out of her reach forever.

And she wouldn't have lost them to the happy, peaceful lives she'd pictured them giving up for her all this time, but to misery and darkness. They'd been struggling with that, while she just happily skipped about. How had they been able to smile back at her?

"Honda-san," Yuki said, his anger deflating. "It... It didn't matter."

"Didn't matter-" Tooru started, frantic. "But-"

"I...I just didn't think about it." Yuki qualified. "Because I was allowed to go to the high school I wanted, to be free for a little while and be with Honda-san I was happy."

Tooru looked up at Kyou, her hands still wound in the hem of his shirt. He looked away. "It wasn't something..." He stumbled over his words like he didn't know what to say. He put his hands over hers. "I was going to beat him, so why should I bother worrying about it?"

"But Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun could have told me-" Tooru started.

"No, we couldn't." Kyou said frowning down at her. "You woulda felt you had to do something."

"I might have been able to help!" Tooru protested.

"Honda-san, you only would have gotten hurt." Yuki said, putting his hands on her shoulders. She looked up at him over her shoulder. He'd gotten taller in just the few months they were here and it surprised her when he stood closer and she had to crane to look at him. He looked so much older, now in this moment. She unwound one hand from Kyou's shirt and reached out and grabbed his shirt sleeve, as if she was afraid he was going to disappear. He looked so far away. He reached up and brushed a wild lock of her hair out of her face, and brushed away a few of her tears. "Hatori was right, we never should have involved you."

Yuki pulled back and gently stepped out of her grasp. She lifted her hand to bring him back but he turned and walked back to the table. "And once we'd run away, it didn't matter." He said. "We weren't going back." He sighed, and took a deep breath and braced himself against the back of his chair. "So," He said turning back to Kunimitsu, "Rin and Kagura have been hurt... but what about the others? What about Hatori?" He tried to sound brisk, unconcerned. His white knuckled grip on the seat back gave him away.

"He comes to monitor the children during their lessons." Kunimitsu said. "He won't talk much about what's going on inside. He came to class with a few scratches one day, across the face. Momiji said that sometimes Akito throws fits, and that Hatori is the only one that can calm him. The scratches were an accident." He sighed and sat back. "They didn't scar."

"Besides... besides his store... my brother?" Yuki asked hesitantly, not knowing if he really wanted to know.

"He's confined to his home." Kunimitsu said. "Hatori told Kazuma. I think... I think Hatori hopes that Kazuma was in contact with you. Some of the things he's said, it was like he was trying to pass messages along."

"Like what?" Yuki asked. "Was there something else about Nii-san?"

"Sensei has tried to encourage all of them, the zodiac, to come to lessons. Even tried to get Hatori to participate. Sensei says it's not healthy for them all to be confined. He asked after the others too, and thats when we heard about your brother. But he didn't just leave it at the facts, like he usually does. Hatori told Kazuma that Ayame was relieved. That he was glad he could finally do something for his brother." Kunimitsu said. "And that he had no regrets."

"Nii-san." Yuki whispered, leaning stiff armed against the back of his chair. "That idiot. Like I'd be happy with that." He cleared his throat and tried to look business-like and calm. He tossed his bangs out of his eyes. "And the others?"

"Hiro has come to lessons, though he mostly sits and makes sarcastic remarks. I think he just doesn't want to be at home. I think he's lonely more than anything. His mother is pregnant and he's worrying over her like he's the papa." Kunimitsu gave a brief smile. "But I think that's why he's been on his best behavior. I think he's afraid if he acts out, Akito will hurt his mother."

"Ritsu came to a couple classes, but he kept having panic attacks. Hatori told us that he'd advised his mother to keep him at home. I think Hatori worried that Ritsu might say something during his panics that might get back to Akito and get him in trouble. We're never left totally alone with them." He

explained. "There are always servants watching." He took a sip of his tea. "We haven't seen little Kisa, except for the first lesson. Her mother has kept her more or less to her home, she's not allowed to see

the others. I think her mother hopes to keep her out of Akito's notice that way."

"Momiji and Hatsuharu are alright?" Kyou asked. "I mean, mostly?"

"Hatsuharu has been quiet." Kunimitsu said. "Kazuma tries talking to him, but it doesn't go over well. Once he went black and punched a hole through the training room floor. But he tends to watch after Hiro and Momiji, he hasn't come in with any bruises or marks." He took a deep breath. "I worry about Momiji, he comes to class with bruises. He says he's just been practicing, but I don't know against who or what. They don't look like practice injuries."

Tooru gave a little cry, like a wounded bird. How could anyone hurt sweet cheerful Momiji?

"Stupid brat probably doesn't know when to keep his mouth shut." Kyou muttered, resting a hand against the crown of Tooru's head more for his own comfort then hers.

"What about Shigure-san?" Tooru asked suddenly. Kunimitsu hadn't said anything about the dog. They'd been living with him, he's the one who left them alone after their secret was found out again. Did Akito blame him for it? She swallowed. "Is Shigure-san okay?"

"We... haven't seen him." Kunimitsu said slowly. "Sensei asked Hatori, but he just said that was "a subject he could not discuss." Sensei asked Momiji about it as well, but all he could say was that he wasn't at the Honke."

Tooru started to cry again. This was all their fault for running away. No, it was all her fault. Everyone was being hurt because of her selfish needs. If she hadn't come along- But then Kyou would have been locked up, and Akito would have kept Yuki from ever smiling his kind sweet smiles again...

But if they hadn't run the others wouldn't be hurting like they were now. If she'd just let them take her memories, maybe Yuki would have found a way out, maybe Kyou would have beaten him.

"We have to go back." Tooru said, looking up at Kyou. She looked over at Yuki. "Maybe if we apologize to Akito-san-"

Yuki turned so quickly his back seized and the pain robbed him of breath.

"No!" Kyou said grabbing her shoulders and giving her a shake. "Weren't you listening?! He crippled Kagura! That bastard threw Rin out a window!"

Yuki pulled himself straight, supporting himself on the chair. His back was really hurting him again. "Honda-san, don't you remember what happened to Kisa? She was hospitalized, just because Hiro said he _liked _her." His face hardened. He wouldn't let Akito hurt Tooru. He wouldn't subject Tooru to that evil. "Don't even think of such things."

"But we can't leave the others." Tooru said. "Ayame-san, Kagura-san, Rin-san, Momiji-san, they were all hurt because of us. If we don't go back-"

"You can't go back." Yuki repeated firmly, chopping a hand through the air. "You can't be anywhere Akito will find you." He glanced at Kyou, before staring straight at her. "You can't stay here either. If Kunimitsu-san was allowed inside they must be watching him. Once they discover where he was going, they'll come here." He glanced at back at the table, "If Keiko-san is still willing to sponsor you two at the dorm you should be safe there for a while since your names will change. At least until graduation, after that I suggest moving-."

"Oi, Rat." Kyou interrupted, a cold feeling settling over him. "What do you mean "you two?" Where are you going to be?"

Yuki closed his eyes. "I'll go back, alone. If I go Akito will be satisfied. I might be able to convince him to let the others go back to school, and let Nii-san reopen his store." He tried to feel happy about his decision. "I'll try to get him to let Shi-han reopen the Dojo too. I'm sure his students will return." Akito would be overjoyed that he returned by choice. For at least a few months he could keep Akito from following Tooru and Kyou, at least until they could graduate and disappear. He'd be strong enough for that.

"No!" Tooru said breaking away from Kyou and running over to clutch Yuki's sleeve. "Not alone!"

"Are you both nuts?!" Kyou shouted. "You're freakin' hurt already, Kuso Nezumi!" He stomped over. "You know he's going to ask where we are, what do you think he'll do when you don't answer? You can't even stand up straight! That bastard used to bust you up when you were healthy, what do you think he's going to do now!"

"It wasn't bad all the time." Yuki said, opening his eyes and speaking to Tooru. "Most of the times I got hurt wasn't on purpose, Akito would throw a fit and I got knocked down or hit by accident. I'm sure if I go back, it will make him happy. I'm the one he's always been focused on. I'll still be able to study, I'm sure... and I'll be able to help the others. If you come back too, it will only anger him. He never really cared about the Baka Neko, so I'm sure he won't keep looking as hard for him."

Tooru shook her head, sobbing too hard to form words. Yuki was talking like he was already gone. He was shuttered and closed.

Kyou stepped forward and pushed Tooru out of the way, behind him as if to protect her from Yuki's words. "Don't ignore me Rat!"

"Why shouldn't I?" Yuki said coldly. "You aren't saying anything useful."

Tooru clutched at the back of Kyou's shirt, peeping under his arm as Kyou stood with hands on his hips. She closed her eyes and pressed her forehead into his back, trying to think of some way to fix this.

"You ain't going back." Kyou said firmly. "You made a promise, Rat, or did you forget?" He glanced out of the corner of his eye at Tooru's fist, grabbing at his shirt. The red butterfly charm winked back at them.

"That-" Yuki said flushing. "That is-" He started again and then stopped shaking his head. "I'm sorry. But it's more important to keep Honda-san safe-"

"That's bullshit!" Kyou shouted. "You're just giving up! It's getting hard now and you're just running away!"

Yuki's vision started to cloud red. How could the Cat be so moronic! "This isn't easy!" He shouted back. "Do you think I want to go back?"

"You're acting like it!" Kyou said stepping closer to really get in his face. "Do you really think that freak of a brother will be happy that his store got burned down for nothing?! Just 'cause you're a coward!?" His hands balled into fists at his side.

Yuki stepped forward until they were practically nose to nose. "Baka Neko, it's the only way to keep Honda-san safe! You can't stop me." He sneered with narrowed eyes.

Kyou punched him hard just below the armpit. He'd bathed with the other boy often enough to know where the worst concentration of bruises were, and where it would hurt the most. The Rat crumpled to the ground.

"The _hell_ I can't." Kyou bit out.

"Yuki-kun!" Tooru knelt down next to him, laying a gentle hand on his back. She looked up at Kyou. "But doesn't Kyou-kun think-"

"What do you want to do back home?" Kyou asked. "Do you want to rescue everyone? Do you want to make it so they can't be hurt again?"

"Yes!" Tooru said.

"You can't." Kyou said. He looked down at Yuki, who was starting to struggle up to his feet. "Neither can you, Rat." He looked at them both, looking defeated and sad. "None of us can. You know Akito, Nezumi, you_ know_ him... Do you really think he's going to give Ayame his store back? He'd never forgive Shishou for not saying where I am, and if he knew that we came back because he hurt the others... he'd just hurt them again next time we did something that made him mad."

"There has to be something that can be done. " Keiko said standing at the table. "I agree that you all can't go back. But what this Akito is doing is abuse, and it's against the law. You can't just hurt people and get away with it. Ma," she said to her mother, "call Matsumoto back."

"You can't!" Yuki said, grabbing the edge of the table and levering himself up. Bad enough that he'd gotten his brother confined and his store destroyed, if the police were involved there was no way the curse wouldn't be discovered. There was a limit to what Hatori could do with his memory wipe, he'd be dooming them all to laboratories and who knew what. "You don't understand."

"We've tried it." Kunimitsu said, sober now. "Sensei went to the police."

"He what?" Kyou said. "But-" But his adoptive father knew of the curse, how could he take that risk?

"He was really worried about Rin." Kunimitsu said. "There didn't seem to be any other option."

"What happened?" Mai said softly. The defeated look in her eye said she already knew the answer.

"The police took his report and told him they'd get back to him. A few days later, the report arrived in an envelope from the main house." Kunimitsu grimaced. "There was a note included that said to please refrain from interfering."

"That's disgusting." Keiko said worrying at her lip. She looked at the three of them, her mind was working and her eyes were shimmering with held back tears. "You're all still minors, aren't you?"

"Yes?" Tooru answered, not sure where the question was coming from.

"Kyou is right, you can't do anything to help them, not now." Keiko said. She looked at Yuki. "As minors your family has too much say in what can happen to you." She shook her head. "I don't understand why your brother and the others don't just leave themselves. From what it sounds like, they aren't being physically detained. Not like they'd planned for you." She said looking at Kyou.

"I know his type, that Akito." Hiroki said with a frown. "He's got them all so worried about messing it up for their parents, or their friends or whoever, that they're afraid to strike out on their own. Makes 'em feel selfish for just wanting to have a piece of happiness on their own." He sighed. "You can't make other people happy, or defend themselves. I don't know if you kids did the right thing running away, but I think now that staying away is your only safe option."

Tooru shook her head and sank into a chair. Her mother wouldn't leave people she cared about like that. There had to be a way. Her mother gone for Uo-chan against a gang. How could she be so weak and selfish now?

Yuki shook his bangs out of his eyes. He felt like a coward. "Graduation." He said softly. "After graduation maybe we can do something. We won't be minors then, they can't make us go back, legally." He looked up at Tooru. "I'll think of something."

She looked up at him. "Something?"

He could see her start to hope and it struck him, like a hard fist to the stomach, just how much she trusted him. She really thought he could fix it. Over five hundred years of being cursed and combined Souma misery and she thought he could fix in a few months.

He looked at Kyou and was surprised to see a guarded hope in the Cat's eyes too. He looked away and felt guilty and elated. He couldn't do it, he didn't think it was really possible, but when they looked at him that way he almost believed it himself.

"We'll help." Tooru said turning in her chair and taking his hand and glancing at Kyou. "We'll find a way, together."

Keiko nodded approvingly. "You can't go off half-cocked. That's what got you into this situation to begin with." She settled back into her seat and pushed her plate aside. "We'll stick with the plan to get you three back in school." She looked at Kunimitsu then at Yuki. "Do you really think that he'll be followed up here?"

"Yes." Yuki said, settling back into his seat. Tooru hurried to help him, half standing in her seat before sliding back into hers. She took his hand. Kyou shifted uncomfortably, foot to foot before taking the chair next to her, turning it around and sitting on it.

"So, then we can't go to the school we were planning to go to." Kyou said. "They'll be able to figure it out."

"Only if we tell them." Mai said gesturing to herself and the rest of the Iwayas. "We're the only ones who know about that part of it. They'd have to know to go to the school and check for transfer records. It's not like you children were actually students at the school."

Hiroki pulled at his lip with his thumb and forefinger. "We should get 'em on a bus or train tomorrow."

"Hn." Ginta grunted. "I don't know about that. I think we may do without you tomorrow, have you drive 'em a town over and let 'em leave from there. Then there's no one at the station that can say they saw them go or where."

"Still." Yuki said. "Everyone in town knows that we were staying here." He looked at the Iwayas. "They will put pressure on you to tell them where we went." It made him feel ill thinking about what his family might do to make them talk.

"Not if they don't think you went anywhere." Keiko said, smiling and excited. She turned to Kunimitsu. "How many places do you suppose you went after you went down the mountain? How many people did you tell about what you found in the clearing?"

Kunimitsu blinked and thought hard. "I... I lost track of the bars and stands after three..." He sounded confused. "I went to the ranger first, and told him I though that there were people... under all that. He said because it was dark, and all of the damage, that he'd have to wait until morning to send someone up to check." Kunimitsu looked down at his hands, fisted in the tablecloth. "I got angry then and yelled at him, then I started thinking about having to tell Sensei...and how horrible and scary it must have been to go that way..."

"And thats when you started drinking." Keiko nodded. "Ma, how many people called you to warn he might come in?"

Mai looked confused but ticked off the people. "Well, the first call I got was from the Sato's, they said he was drunk when he got to their stand. Then Tanaka from the Sleeping Mountain called, but I think he was there first because she said he'd been sober but upset and threw a fit when they stopped serving him." Kunimitsu blushed. "Then I heard from Cafe Macaroni...no, they called after Araki-san did, so that's four..."

"Ma, I want you to make some phone calls." Keiko said excitedly. "Call Dr. Kitagawa, Matsumoto, Enoki, ask them to come over. I have an idea. Oh, and maybe Yamada-san, if he can come."

"Matsumoto?" Yuki repeated. "But-"

"We'll need his help if we're going to pull this off." Keiko said firmly. Everyone was staring at her. "Listen, Kunimitsu-san told everyone he'd found them dead up in the mountain, right? We're the only ones who saw them reunited. If your family thinks that you died-"

"Then they'll stop searching for us." Yuki said, straightening. "But, so many people saw us here, after the storm-"

Mai stood, gathered together the plates. "I'm going to call Watase too, he can help us spread the word. Should we call Kazuya-kun home? We'll have to have him explain to his friends."

"Let him stay over at my place tonight." Keiko said. "Kunimitsu-san can take his bed that way."

"Um, thank you." Kunimitsu said, looking a bit shell-shocked.

"Oh," Mai set a pile plates down and looking at her watch. "I'd better start making those calls if we're going to get this all settled tonight. Tooru-chan, sweetie, would you mind doing the dishes?"

Tooru jumped up. "Of course!" she said automatically and started gathering them together.

"Kyou-kun, Hiro, let's try to get this place into some semblance of order before our guests come in." Mai said and bustled over to the podium phone to start making calls. When Yuki started to stand she shooed him back into his seat. "You sit and rest Yuki-kun, you'll need your strength to travel tomorrow."

"I'll have to call the dorm head to let her know they're coming early." Keiko said suddenly. "I'll use my cell. Oh, right... I didn't tell you. You all passed the test, you're now students of Sakura High."

::0::0::

Tooru nervously poured tea for the strange collection of people Mai had called to the restaurant. From the handful of people Mai and Keiko had started with the number had grown to until if felt like half the town adults were squeezed into the restaurant.

She shrunk under Matsumoto's steady gaze as she filled his cup. He nodded to her when it was full, but didn't take his eyes off of her as she scampered over to Kitagawa to ask him if he needed a refill.

"Okay, so we've explained as much of the situation as we can." Keiko said standing at the front of the room like a orator. She'd told them a sketchy version of their past, pretty much leaving it as them escaping from an abusive family and their need to hide for just a few months until they became legally adults.

"I can't believe the police can't do... something." Enoki, Kyou's part-time boss, said. "They're good kids...I can't see them not being believed." He looked at Matsumoto. "Can't you do something? Even if the police have been bought back where they're from, can't you do something from here?"

Matsumoto shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He'd been on the phone to another station about the teens when Mai had called him. "There's something fishy going on." He said shaking his head. "There aren't any runaway reports filed on them, but they've got them down as wanted for questioning in an incident."

"An incident?" Yuki said. "But... nothing happened back home, if they said we stole something or-"

"No, that's what's fishy." Matsumoto grunted. "There is no incident report, no crime, just the bulletin asking anyone who spots you to bring you in for questioning." He shrugged. "I tried to get an explanation out of the office the bulletin said to call but they wouldn't say anything once they saw the name on the report." He shook his head.

Dr. Kitagawa set down his teacup. "Then I expect they'll be sending someone around now that you've called."

"Probably." Matsumoto agreed. "We don't even have a full police station here, they know we can't hold someone for more then a day before we transfer 'em over to the valley. To really do something we'd need to have a judge we can trust... and I don't think we can get to Suzumiya in time to ensure the kids get a fair break."

"Did you say that you'd seen them?" Keiko asked anxiously. "We can't have anything official stating these kids were alive after the storm."

"No, I didn't exactly." Matsumoto said reviewing the conversation in his head. "I said I might have some information regarding them."

"That's perfect then." Keiko said. "Is everyone agreed to help?"

"What to do we need to do?" Yamada asked, mopping at his head. "Are we saying we hadn't located them until today?" He frowned. "I haven't submitted my report yet, so I suppose I can say I went over the area where the clearing is." He frowned again. "That might be suspicious, those aren't state lands. Souma Kazuma owns them, or rather he's the one who's been managing them for as long as I can remember."

"Well, his assistant came here to ask you to look. You would have helped if he'd asked, right?" Keiko said. "We're going to want to stick as close to the truth as much as possible, less problems for everyone."

Enoki waved his hand. "So, what do I say... why would Kyou have been helping me if not because of the storm damage?"

"Did you pay him on the books?" Keiko asked.

The man shot an uncomfortable look at Matsumoto. "No." He said finally.

"Then he didn't work for you."

"I'll make sure everyone knows." Watase, a slim, nervous looking man, said from the back of the room. "We're all tearing out the fence behind the school tomorrow."

"Stick to the truth." Matsumoto disagreed. "The boy took odd jobs in town to supplement their income. If someone slips and mentions a redhead who fixed a roof or a window we can say they mis-remembered when it happened."

Enoki and Watase nodded.

"Most important is going to be the official documents." Dr. Kitagawa spoke up. "Yamada will have to file a report about finding the bodies with Matsumoto. I'll fill out the corner's report." He gave a little smile. "From what it sounds like happened, cause of death would be by hypothermia and exposure with related injuries."

"That's fraud." An elderly woman spoke up the front row of tables. It was the same woman Kyou had offered his handyman services for the first time, patching her roof so she could return home. She looked with steely eyes around them. "I'm not saying we shouldn't do it, but be aware of it. Matsumoto, you're putting everything on the line here. Yamada's report would just be a minor infraction, and Kitagawa is practically retired anyway. He doesn't have much to lose. You've got a couple years before your pension kicks in Matsumoto, and even if it's discovered later..."

"I know it." Matsumoto said. "I consider it part of my job to uphold the law. This fraud is a lesser evil then abuse. Besides," he said glancing at Hiroki. "It's nothing I haven't done before."

Hiroki looked away and scratched the back of his head.

"Well, you'll need a legal seal on it." The woman said again. "My notary is still in effect, until the end of the year at least. If you're okay with it, I'll help with the paperwork.."

"Thank you Suzuka-san." Mai said. "We do appreciate it."

The woman waved an irritated hand. "I owe the boy for helping me get back home. Takyua's a sweet boy, but I just couldn't take it anymore..."

"So, let's get it straight." Keiko interrupted, gaining their attention and holding it with a teacher's ease.. "This is the time line for their time in town. One, they were living up on the mountain. But they came down for work. All three at various times worked here at the restaurant, Kyou worked for Enoki on and off. Yuki tutored Kazuya and occasionally played soccer with him. Sometimes, they stayed over, if it was late, but we all assumed they were staying at the Sunset. Got it?" Everyone nodded. "Okay, two, the storm hit and they disappeared for about two weeks. We all assumed they went home due to the damage at the Sunset. Three, Kunimitsu-san comes to town to inspect the Souma lands and discovers the bodies." Everyone nodded along.

"Number four is what we're going to do now." Keiko said. "Yamada-san will officially notify Matsumoto-san of what happened." She looked at Yamada and Matsumoto. "Would you have recovered the bodies tonight?"

"If we found them early enough." Yamada said. "But it would have had to be around noon or earlier. Kunimitsu didn't return to my station until evening. In the dark it's too dangerous now, not with all the shifting earth and downed trees. We just don't have the resources. It would have to wait until morning."

Matsumoto tipped his hat back. "Well, that works fine. The young man there was obviously upset about not being able to recover the bodies when he went on his bender earlier. He might have said something about it to someone."

"It also explains why you said you hadn't seen them. They wouldn't have been officially identified at that point." Kitagawa said with a faint smile.

"You're enjoying this too much, Doc." Hiroki said.

"It's just like a detective novel, only in reverse. We're making the mystery and hoping no one will solve it." The doctor said cheerfully. "Mai, you should set up a shrine to them. You would have if they'd really passed, since they stayed here."

"This is freakin' weird." Kyou muttered and Yuki agreed. Having everyone talking about them like they were dead was unnerving. Tooru sat silent between them looking worried and confused.

"That reminds me!" Mai gasped. "The remains!"

A murmur went through the group.

"Mmmm." Kitagawa nodded. "That may be a problem."

"Maybe not." Yamada said. "If they really were up on the mountain for two weeks, with the weather we've had there wouldn't be much left of them. There aren't a lot of animals, but we still have quite a few scavengers in the area, ravens, tanuki, rats all would have taken their toll. Plus, they'd have been exposed to the elements and all that rain and wet and-"

"Ugh, stop!" Enoki said. "That's disgusting. You're going to make me sick!"

"There is no coroner's office here, if we received bodies in that condition we would have cremated them almost immediately. We wouldn't have any place to store them." Kitagawa said. "We might even skip photographs and an autopsy if they've been identified already." He grinned again, ghoulishly. "Or rather, it'd be expected of a small practice run by a senile old man to forget such things."

"Don't get too creative." Matsumoto warned. "The more you elaborate the more chances to get caught."

"Well, I'll only mention it if it comes up." Kitagawa said, but he sounded disappointed.

"They'll still be expecting something back." Kunimitsu said. "I...I wouldn't be able to tell Sensei over the phone. I'd probably wait until I got home and tell him... and give him... well, I would have done it in person."

"I've got couple of dogs." Yamada said helpfully. "The only casualties of the storm. Ashes are ashes, I can't imagine them going so far as to test them."

"We'll need a few bits of bone." Kitagawa said. "To be truly convincing."

"There maybe something we can use in the high school biology room." The old woman said thoughtfully. "When I still taught we had a real skeleton in there."

"It's still there." Keiko confirmed. "I'll bring it by your station after the school opens in the morning." She said to Yamada.

"This only works if the kids aren't here any more." Ginta said. "Because of Matsumoto's phone call we could be getting visitors as early as tomorrow."

Hiroki nodded. "I can drive 'em out tonight. If we leave soon I can be back for breakfast."

"We're ready to leave." Yuki said.

Tooru wasn't so sure, but she nodded and took his hand. "A-all of our things are packed." She confirmed.

"Can you really give Shishou ashes and tell him they're mine?" Kyou asked Kunimitsu. "Can you really do that to him?"

Kunimitsu shook his head. "I will because its what he'd want me to do." He gave a lopsided grin. "He'll probably be able to figure out that I'm lying. I was never good at it... But he'll be convincing when he tells Akito. That's what's important."

Kyou swallowed and tried to speak, but his voice came out rough and uncertain. "Then..." He cleared his throat, "Then Shishou isn't upset that I left?"

"Sensei just wants you to be safe, and happy." Kunimitsu said seriously, looking older and more haggard then Kyou could ever remember seeing him. "And he knows that can't happen at home. I think he was really happy when he'd heard you'd run away. Especially once he heard that it was all three of you." He put his hands on Kyou's shoulders. "Be happy, you'll be doing the right thing if you're happy."

Kyou scrubbed a hand quickly across his eyes and then turned to Yuki and Tooru. "I'm ready then, let's go."

Mai teared up. "I'll go make you some snacks to take with you."

They actually didn't end up leaving until early morning, just a couple of hours before dawn. Mai wanted to take a picture of the three of them Something to keep in the restaurant's "shrine" to their passing, which required them getting cleaned up and wearing some of their older clothes. Doctor Kitagawa insisted on one last check up of Yuki, to make sure his sports game hadn't injured him further. Enoki wanted to write out a letter of recommendation for Kyou, a request that surprised and moved the Cat. He'd felt like just another hired hand, and hadn't thought the man had taken notice of him other than as another set of legs or hands to work on tasks. He was further shocked when the man left and returned with an envelope of money as a "bonus" for his hard work.

"I-I can't accept this." Kyou said trying to hand it back. "We've been saving, we-"

"It's not charity." Enoki insisted gruffly. "Everyone's been working hard since the storm, and most of the workers had storm damage of their own to repair. Overtime, extra shifts, you, and the rest, have worked them without complaint. That deserves a little something. The rest will get theirs a bit later, but since you're leaving you're just the first." He patted Kyou awkwardly on the shoulder. "You ever need work, you come back here. I'll be happy to have you on my crew again."

Kyou nodded numbly.

Tooru had become a pet of some of the older ladies that frequented the restaurant and as word spread of their abrupt leaving they started arriving with gifts.

"You'll be wanting to give your dorm head a thank you gift." One lady said as she handed Tooru a jar of homemade jam. "I'm sure you would have made something yourself if you had time, but since you have to leave so soon use this instead." Before Tooru could even get out a thank you one of the others pressed a plate of cookies on her and another box of buns. Soon her arms were full of food and knickknacks, prompting Mai to go searching for an extra suitcase.

Yuki tried not to feel left out as he leaned against the wall by the kitchen. His apartment search hadn't given him much time to socialize as Tooru did with the patrons of the restaurant and he hadn't had any outside work like Kyou. But it felt a lot like the many times he'd seen his classmates gather about Kyou or Hatsuharu and Momiji hang off the Cat and it was a sting that was hard to ignore. He'd had friends here, he reminded himself. He'd already said goodbye to Kin, and he felt bad that they'd be gone before he could do the same with Kazuya. He straightened his shoulders and reminded himself that he didn't need a bunch of people as long as he had Tooru. Next to him, Kyou shifted uncomfortably as he watched Tooru, bumping Yuki's shoulder.

"Okay," Hiroki said striding out of the kitchen and jerking a thumb over his shoulder. "We're all packed up and ready to go."

"Oh!" Mai said fluttering her hands. "It's so late, will you be able to stay awake? Maybe you should stay-"

"Enough." Ginta said gently, giving her arm a squeeze. "They'll be fine."

"Will it be okay that Hiroki-san won't be back for breakfast?" Tooru said. "Won't that be too difficult fo Ginta-san?"

"We won't be open today." Ginta said. "We're in mourning." He reminded her gently. Tooru ducked her head.

"Please say goodbye to Kazuya-kun." Yuki said. "Tell him I enjoyed playing soccer with him and hope he continues to improve in math."

"He'll appreciate that." Ginta nodded. "Well, the soccer at least."

Yuki bowed deeply, to him and Mai. "And thank you for everything." His voice betrayed him, becoming uncertain and uneven. "Without your help, I don't know what we would have done."

"Yes, thank you." Tooru said coming forward and bowing with him. "If I lost Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun...But also for letting us stay and be at the restaurant." Kyou bowed with them, not knowing what to say.

"Oh, don't." Mai said, her eyes moist and wet. "Stop that now. It wasn't anything."

"Mai-san." Yuki said seriously as he and the others rose. "Should... should our family discover that we are alive, they might try to make things difficult for you. If it becomes a problem, please don't hesitate to tell them where we went. We didn't want to drag you into this."

"Not much they could do to us." Ginta shrugged. "Restaurant is ours, paid for. Most of the school board is on helping you guys get out of here, so Keiko's safe. Don't worry, your secret is safe with us."

"Write. Keep in touch." Mai said, reaching forward to grasp Tooru's hands. "You don't have to tell us where you are or anything, but no one will notice another letter showing up here."

Tooru looked at Yuki for permission and he nodded. "We will! I promise!"

Ginta shook Yuki and Kyou's hands. "Keep up the good work." He said and then softer added. "And you keep that girl safe."

"We will." Yuki said and Kyou nodded.

"Sooner we get in the car, sooner we're gone." Hiroki said, clapping his hands together. "Let's get this bus moving."

"Goodbye, Mai-san, Ginta-san." Tooru said again. "Thank Keiko-san for everything!"

"We'll pass it along." Ginta nodded as they followed them to the back door and the waiting car in the alley. Yuki and Kyou climbed up into the car, taking the back so Tooru could sit more safely in the front.

Tooru stepped back before getting in, suddenly turning and running back to the restaurant. She threw her arms around Mai. "Thank you! Please take care of Mother." She quickly embraced Ginta too before running to the car and getting in.

For realism's sake Tooru had left the muddy, torn picture that Kunimitsu had found with Mai to add to the shrine. No one who knew Tooru would think she could bear to leave it behind. Kunimitsu was upstairs, asleep.

He'd suggested himself that it was best he didn't know where they were going. Kyou kept to himself the doubt that the man would be able to keep the secrets he was already carrying. They just needed a few months to get Tooru through school, he'd just have to trust in Kunimitsu that much.

"Goodbye!" Tooru said leaning out the window and waving to Ginta and Mai, her eyes shining with tears. "Goodbye!"

::0::0::

The ride into the next town was long, and even with the tension they all carried the gently rocking car and late hour pushed Tooru off to sleep. She had a hard time waking when they arrived and Hiroki pulled up in front of the train station. She felt like she was in a fog even as she gave the man his own hug goodbye. It seemed to surprise him, and he went red.

"You kids take care of yourselves." Hiroki said as he helped them carry their bags into the station. He fumbled in his pockets. "Ginta gave me this to give to you." He handed Yuki an envelope.

Yuki could feel just by the shape what it was and the weight said it was much too generous a gift. "Hiroki-san, please, we can't take this. Ginta-san and Mai-san have given us so much already-"

Hiroki snorted. "Think of it as your wages for the time you worked at the restaurant if you must. I ain't takin' it back, and even if I did they do know where you're living. You'd just get it back." He put a hand on Yuki's shoulder. "Let them do this."

Yuki nodded. Tooru gave Hiroki another tight hug and this time he returned it, holding her tight for a moment.

"Listen, I know it's tough to take all this help. Especially knowing what is happening to your friends at home." Hiroki said tucking his thumbs into his waistband. "You all have got a rare opportunity to start fresh. You take it. You make everything that everyone's gone through worth it and you make the best lives for yourselves you can."

"Is that what you did?" Yuki asked, remembering Matsumoto's cryptic comment earlier in the night.

"Something like that." Hiroki said. "I told you I was Mai's first stray. Didn't tell you what I strayed away from, now did I?"

"Can you sleep at night?" Kyou asked bitterly. He'd tried in the car, but thoughts of Kagura kept jerking him awake.

"Most nights." Hiroki said sympathetically. "Not all, and I don't suppose you kids will rest easy any time soon. But still," He said staring Kyou down, "from what Kunimitsu said everyone at home wants you happy and safe... so shouldn't you try to give them what they want? At least think on it awhile. They've paid a high enough price for it."

"It won't be easy." Hiroki said, addressing all of them. "I expect it'll be the hardest thing you'll ever have to do." He looked up at the clock. "Now, the trains don't run to often this time of night. You better hurry and get your tickets."

"Thank you Hiroki-san." Tooru said.

"Go on now." He said, scratching at his head. "I'll be getting back." They watched him go, not moving until he pushed his way out the door.

Tooru picked up her bag, the pretty embroidered butterflies looking dull and lifeless under the harsh fluorescent lights of the station. She clutched the knapsack that Mai had filled with gifts from town to her chest and tried to feel grateful instead of scared and guilty. Kyou grabbed his and Yuki's, giving the Rat a challenging glare when he looked like he was going to protest.

"Go buy the tickets." Kyou said and nodded to Tooru. "We'll go find seats on the platform." Yuki nodded and they reluctantly separated.

::0::0::

It took two train connections to get them into the area they needed to get in, and the trains got progressively more crowded as they went. They'd gotten used to the slow pace of the little mountain town and having to adjust to the fast pace was enough of a distraction to keep them from fretting about home or what was coming.

"Honda-san-" Yuki said turning and taking her hand as they left the station. "Don't let yourself get pushed back." He held the knapsack up to protect his chest in the crowd.

"You gotta stop that, Rat." Kyou said coming up on her other side. "We're gonna be meeting with the lady from the dorm, and you gotta start calling her by her name... or at least not Honda."

"Sato." Tooru repeated to herself. "Sato Tooru." They thought they'd have more time to get used to that.

"Ah, un." Yuki said and looked away from them at the clock outside the station. It was early. "We've got a couple hours before we have to meet with Urishima-san. Do you want to get something to eat?"

"I'm not hungry." Tooru said shaking her head. Mai had nervously kept cooking and making snacks all through their planning and she was still full.

"Can't we find somewhere to sit?" Kyou said. He was tired and Tooru looked exhausted. He didn't like how pale the Rat was looking either. The doctor said he was fine, but he'd strained his back again and should be careful.

Yuki looked around, there wasn't much of anything that he could see. They were starting to get stares. They were still wearing their old clothes and were looking ragged. A station officer was standing by the doors and looking at them curiously.

"Let's see if we can't find someplace." Yuki said and started walking. Kyou and Tooru trailed after. The station seemed to be in the middle of a bunch of bars and clubs, most of which were closed and dark at this early hour. They were wandering into a seedier neighborhood then he liked and was about to tell them to turn around.

"What about here?" Kyou said looking at a hotel. "We can stay here for a few hours."

Yuki looked at the building. "But that's a-" he looked at Tooru and blushed.

Tooru looked at the building. "Oh! They rent by the hour!" She said. "Can we afford it?"

"That's not really the problem-" Yuki started. He couldn't take Tooru into a love hotel!

"So what?" Kyou said. He wanted Tooru to lay down for a while and the Rat looked like he needed to take some of his pain meds. "It's not like there's going to be anyone else there at this hour." It was too late in the morning for even the hard core partiers. "At least there will beds, and showers."

"Can we please?" Tooru said, the thought of a warm comfortable bed sounding like heaven.

"I'll go get us a room." Yuki sighed. "You take the luggage with Honda-san." He handed Tooru back the knapsack.

"You gotta-" Kyou started again as they pushed into the lobby.

"I know!" Yuki snapped. He walked over to the desk and used his anger to hide his embarrassment. "One room please." He looked at his watch. "For three hours."

The clerk looked over at Tooru and Kyou standing a bit back. He gave Yuki a grin. "Ah, to be young again." He handed him a key. "Room 333, appropriate, eh? It's got the biggest bed."

Yuki went bright red, paid for the room and took the key. "Thank you." He mumbled.

They went up the elevator and up to the third floor. Yuki was happy that Tooru seemed completely oblivious to the naughty pictures that decorated the walls in the hallway. He opened the room and sighed. The room was dominated by a huge circular bed and there were mirrors on the headboard and ceiling. Besides the room be decorated primarily in bright red, it was relatively normal.

He held open the door and Tooru and Kyou walked in and dropped their things by the door. "Let's sleep for a while and then we can change before going over to the boarding house. We've got an appointment with Urishima-san at ten."

"I want to take a shower first." Tooru said, peeping into the bathroom. "There is a huge tub! It could fit all of us, just like at the hot spring!"

Yuki covered his face with a hand and Kyou flopped onto the bed with a groan. They both tried to keep from from picturing her as they'd seen her up at the hot spring.

"Just take your shower." Kyou said. "Rat, you should take one of your pills." He looked over his shoulder at Yuki as Tooru disappeared into the bathroom. "Do you need to eat something with it or something?"

Yuki fumbled for a bottle, ignoring with difficulty the running water in the next room. How could he be thinking about things after everything they heard tonight? "No," He said once he'd remembered that Kyou had asked him a question, "They're not as strong as the others."

"Good." Kyou said. "We don't need to deal with that again." He fought with the blankets and crawled under. "Lay down when you're done, we all need the sleep." He tried not to think what the beds here were usually used for. He closed his eyes and tried to relax.

Yuki gave Kyou a strange look. The Cat had been almost _nice_ to him for a while now and he tried to remember when they had started happening. Was it while they were up on the mountain? After? He didn't really know how to deal with it, it was... weird and uncomfortable. He didn't like how the Cat was always bossing him around like he was someone who didn't know how to look after himself. But the bed looked inviting and he crawled in the other side, trying to ignore the empty space where Tooru wasn't.

Tooru emerged from a hasty shower, clad only in the fluffy hotel bathrobe with a towel around her hair. Yuki and Kyou were pretending to be asleep on the bed and she crawled up between them. "Yuki-kun, I need to get under the blankets." She whispered. It was harder then when they were sharing futons and each had their own blanket.

"Oh, sorry Honda-san." He said lifting the blankets and trying very, very hard to ignore that she was nearly naked. "Here."

"You gotta stop calling her that!" Kyou said, peeking over his shoulder.

"I know!" Yuki snapped.

"If you know, then stop doing it!" Kyou snapped back.

"Yuki-kun," Tooru said pulling the blankets over herself and him and snuggling into the pillow, "Maybe you should practice." She yawned but looked at him seriously.

"Practice?" Yuki said.

"If Yuki-kun calls me by my name, maybe he'll get used to it." Tooru said. She down and then up. "It would really make me happy if he would."

Kyou rolled over watching Yuki's face over Tooru's shoulder. "You gotta start sometime." He said.

"I know!" Yuki said defensively, not liking the cornered feeling of having them both against him.

"Then do it!" Kyou said.

Tooru took Yuki's hand under the blankets. "Please, Yuki-kun?"

"Honda-san." He begged. "I.."

"Please?" Tooru repeated.

"I don't know if I can." Yuki whispered. "Honda-san is Honda-san to me..."

"I want to get closer to Yuki-kun." Tooru said. "And Yuki-kun said he thought of me as.. his girlfriend, right?"

"Yes, but-" Yuki said.

"Then please call me by my name." Tooru said. "I want to feel closer to you, Yuki." She blushed at the intimacy of leaving off the suffix.

"T..Tooru." He whispered his eyes fluttering shut.

"Yuki." She whispered back and tilted up a little bit to kiss him lightly on the side of the mouth.

"Tooru..." he whispered again and kissed her back. This was much better then the first kiss, not nearly so urgent. It was sweet.

"About time." Kyou huffed, trying not to feel upset about them kissing as if he wasn't there.

Tooru looked over her shoulder at him. "Kyou." She whispered.

Kyou's eyes widened and he went a deep scarlet. "Y...you don't have to do that. I can already say your name."

"I want to." Tooru said. "Because I want to be closer to both of you." She wrapped her hand around Yuki's as she turned over to look at Kyou. "Kyou."

"Don't do that." Kyou said harshly looking anywhere but at her. "Don't."

"Kyou." She said again and used her free hand to stroke his cheek. "I'm not going to hide anymore, I'm not going to cry." He looked back at her surprised by the turn in the conversation. "I'm going to be strong. Yuki and Kyou won't have to work so hard to protect me."

"Maybe we want to." Kyou said, blurting the first thing that came in his head. "I can't do anything else, let me do that at least."

Yuki put his forehead between her shoulders. "Let's not worry about it now..." He said. Tooru drew his linked fingers over her hip and held his hand to her stomach.

"I won't avoid it anymore." Tooru disagreed. "I hurt everyone." She whispered. "If... If I'd told Yuki-kun... _Yuki_..and _Kyou_ how I felt before... if they'd told me what was going to happen..." She looked up at Kyou who was staring at her intently. "...maybe... they wouldn't have been hurt or so lonely."

"I wasn't lonely." Kyou said. "I-"

"I was lonely." Tooru said. "After Mother died, I couldn't talk about it to anyone. It hurt." Tooru said. "I want Yuki and Kyou to be able to tell me even about the painful things and scary things. I want to be able to tell them about those things too. Please let me." Tooru bit her lip. "Kyou."

"Tooru." He breathed and kissed her, holding her head and running his hands through her wet hair.

Yuki pressed his cheek against her skin where the robe had fallen loose to reveal her creamy shoulder. As she shivered under Kyou's kiss Yuki pressed his lips against the skin and felt her hand clench around his. Reflexively she pulled it up between her breasts and he spread his hand, feeling her heart race under her skin.

Tooru moaned and Kyou drew back shakily. "F-fine then. Just let's keep that to ourselves." He said. "I don't want to hear you calling me _that_ in front of other people."

"Okay." Tooru said and smiled and snuggled back into the half embrace that Yuki was holding her in, careful not to go back far enough to transform him. "Just when we're alone." She frowned and looked up at Kyou. "Is it wrong for me to be so happy when everyone else-"

Yuki's arm tightened around her. "It's not wrong." He said. "Nii-san always told me to protect the princess. This would make him happy."

"Un." Kyou said, unwinding his hands from her hair moving so that his forehead rested against hers. "Shishou too... and the others...I think Hiroki was right." He slid a hand up her hip. "And we'll figure something out. We've got to get stronger so Akito can't hurt us anymore, and then we'll be able to figure out what to do."

Yuki thought he was making it too simple, but he was too distracted by the soft skin under his cheek. "Mmm." He agreed.

Tooru's eyes fluttered. "Yes." She murmured.

"Sleep now, for a bit." Kyou said, his fingers tightening on the fabric of her robe. "We've got to get up soon."

Tooru closed her eyes obediently, loving the feel of them both so close. She'd get strong enough that she'd be able to keep this, forever. It might be selfish... but that was okay when it felt so good, wasn't it? At least for now, she decided it was okay. After all, Honda Tooru was dead now... didn't she deserve a little bit of heaven?

::0::0::

For once I really have no idea what to write as an author's note. It feels like this chapter was a big huge chunk of exposition, doesn't it? But at least we know now what's been happening back home. I've been working on and off on "This Heart of Mine", but getting horrendously stuck on it. I hope, maybe, that I'll finish the chapter of that (I've got about 20 pages written) too this weekend, but I'm not sure.


	26. Harsh Dawn

"This is it?" Kyou asked. "You're sure? It looks way crappier than in the brochures." When they'd left the hotel he'd insisted on carrying all of the bags. Tooru still looked exhausted and the pain medication made Yuki woozy. He had one slung over each shoulder and carried a third in front of him.

"Brochures always look nicer," Yuki said, annoyed. "But yes, I'm sure. It's the right address and the complex has the same name, 'Cherry Street Complex.' This has got to be it."

"This way." Tooru said, gesturing to a sign that pointed down the hall and said "manager's office." She insisted on at least carrying the knapsack of goodies. "Manager-san is probably waiting for us in her office." She patted herself down, brushing out imaginary wrinkles and sorting out stray hairs. She gave the boys a critical look over. She pulled a ribbon out of her pocket. "Yuki-kun, you should tie back your hair." This was going to be their one chance to make a good first impression on the building manager.

"Ah." Yuki patted at his hair. He still wasn't use to thinking of things like that. "I should get it cut." He said as Tooru came up behind him and had to stand on her tiptoes to reach. He gave an involuntary shiver as her fingers slid through his hair, fingernails ghosting over his scalp. She gathered his hair into a small ponytail and tied it back. It wasn't anything close to his brother's hair, it just barely reached his shoulders, but the bangs constantly got in his eyes.

"Oh?" Tooru said, and he could hear her pout from behind him. She pressed her cheek to his back briefly as she dropped back off her toes. "But I like Yuki-kun's hair this way. It's so soft," she played with the tip of his ponytail, "and the color is so nice."

"Ah." Yuki said and blushed. "M-maybe I'll leave it."

"You'll look more like a girl than you already do if you grow it much longer." Kyou snickered. "Where should I set your bags, Princess?

"Shut up, Baka Neko!" Yuki snapped, already embarrassed. "You're the one who took all bags! If you're going to make yourself a pack animal, act like one and be silent!"

Yuki's voice raised unseemly high on the last word. He didn't know how to act around Kyou anymore and it was making him unsettled and irritable. The Cat had spent half the morning fussing about what Yuki should or shouldn't carry, or how far he should walk, or if he'd taken his medicine correctly... And then Kyou'd turn around and say something snide.

"Ah-" Tooru held up her hands to try to hush them. It wasn't early morning anymore, but it they were still inside the apartment complex.

"Who're you calling an animal!" Kyou shouted back. "Just because I-"

"Excuse me," A dry voice said from behind them. "If you don't have any business here, please have your argument elsewhere."

"Who're you, old bag?" Kyou spat, easily transferring his anger over to the interruption, an interruption in the form of a short, ancient woman in an informal kimono. Her hair was done up tight in a bun.

"Kyou-kun!" Tooru scolded, her cheeks burning with embarrassment. She bowed rapidly to the woman. "I'm sorry, we didn't mean to disturb you!" She apologized. "Um, we're looking for the manager of this building. We're supposed to move in today."

"Ah, so it's you three." The woman's mouth twisted into a deeper frown. "Yes, I informed you were arriving early. Well." She put her hands on her hips. "We'll just have to go over the rules, won't we?"

"Who-" Kyou started angrily. Yuki nudge him with an elbow.

"Excuse me, Ma'am." Yuki said politely. "But am I to understand you are the manager of this building?"

"You understand correctly." The woman gave a short nod. "I am the building manager, and dorm head for the student areas. You can call me Urishima. We have assigned an RA for each floor, I'll introduce you to yours later." She gave them a scathing looking over. "And I'll have her go over the conduct rules for the building as well. Your names?"

"Ho-" Tooru started when Kyou gave her a light smack on her shoulder She glanced at him and then made an "o" of realization, she'd almost give her old name! "H-hello," she recovered, "My name is Sato Tooru." She gave a bow.

"I am Sato Yuki, and rude person is my cousin Sato Kyou." Yuki gave Kyou a warning glare. "He apologizes for his rude behavior." Yuki gave a warm smile to Urishima. "As do I." He bowed, trying to put all of his grace into the movement.

"Knock it off, pretty boy." Urishima snorted. "I've been watching over students here for twenty years. I'm impervious to charm."

"A-ah." Yuki stammered.

Kyou laughed.

"Don't get cocky, you." Urishima said sending him a glare that brought him up short. "We have strict rules here, and you'll follow them all or you're out. I don't give second chances, so clean up. We don't want any trouble here, and nothing illegal."

Kyou's face darkened. "Why-"

"Dye your hair back to black before you ask why." Urishima said flatly. "I don't stand for gangs here. This is not a flop house. It's not the newest building on the street, or the prettiest. But everyone who lives here is honest, and I aim to keep it that way. I understand you're dropping out of school, that doesn't mean you get a pass on the rules."

Before Kyou could let loose a tirade, Tooru stepped forward and bowed. "I'm sorry if Urishima-san has misunderstood, but Kyou-kun's hair is natural. Kyou is a good, honest person. The only reason he isn't

returning to school is-"

"None of her beeswax." Kyou interrupted sullenly. He hated seeing Tooru bow her head for him. "I just ain't goin' back... but don't worry." He slung the bags off his shoulders and back so he could bow himself, leaving his head down. "I won't cause problems here, or break any stu-... any rules." He stood back up and gave her a look. "I'm sorry."

Urishima sniffed, and turned neither accepting or denying their apologies. "This way," she said and gestured for them to follow her. She walked around the corner and up a flight of stairs. "I wasn't expecting you for another week, so I haven't had a chance to completely clear or go over your apartment," she said. "So no complaints if you find a crack or the paint isn't pristine. It's your own fault for getting here early."

"We understand," Yuki said quickly, not used to adults not taking to him right away. "Is there paint we can use if we need to re-paint it ourselves?"

Urishima gave him a speculative look and Yuki wondered if he'd said something wrong again. "Yes." She said shortly as she reached the top of the steps and turned to face them. "We have white, if you want another color you have to buy the paint yourselves. And it has to be white when you leave."

"If we paint it ourselves, will Urishima-san credit us the painter's fee on our rent?" Tooru said unexpectedly as she reached the top herself. "Otherwise we'd prefer to wait for the painters."

"I don't see why I should pay you for an inexpert job." Urishima said, putting her hands on her hips.

"But we're the only ones that would be bothered by it, and it's something that would save Urishima-san money. Painter's are expensive and charge for materials as well as their fees. We are only asking for the fee to be deducted." Tooru said politely. "And if we do too badly a job, Urishima-san can deduct it from our security deposit when we leave."

Yuki and Kyou goggled at Tooru, unused to this business-like side to her.

Urishima rubbed at her chin. "Well... I won't deduct the full fee... It's not like I'm hiring skilled laborers." Her eyes gleamed. This was a woman who loved to bargain.

"Well, if not the full fee, then I think we shouldn't be expected to repaint or pay a fee when we leave." Tooru said, briskly. "If Urishima-san is expecting an inexpert job..."

"Mmm...mmmm." Urishima said rubbing her chin in consideration. "How about this then... you repaint and I'll wave that portion of the security deposit and deduct half of the painter's fee from your first rent?"

"We should see the apartment first." Tooru said politely. "We don't know how much work we're agreeing to do."

"True, true." Urishima gave out a cackling laugh. "This way." She curled a finger, and gestured for them to follow her down the hall. "This one is yours, apartment 395." She unlocked it and flipped on the light. Holding open the door to let them precede her.

Yuki, Kyou and Tooru glanced at each other. Tooru could tell they were feeling the same rush of excitement, their very own apartment! Their own place! Privacy and freedom!

They were almost afraid to enter. Finally Kyou snorted and stepped in, kicking off his shoes in the small entryway. "I gotta drop these, they're getting heavy." He said and stepped into the room, dumping the bags just off to the side of the doorway.

"After you, H..." Yuki covered his almost-slip with a cough. "T-tooru-san."

Tooru started and colored. It was the first time Yuki had called her by her name since their early morning "practice" and the first time in front of a stranger. "Y-yes, thank you." she stammered and stepped in.

Yuki gestured for Urishima to follow her, his cheeks dusted with pink. That was going to take a lot of getting used to.

Yuki's first look at the apartment made his stomach drop. The walls were dingy and yellowed and the apartment stank of cigarettes. There were no curtains on the cloudy, sliding door window. He'd lived all his life in tatami mat rooms, and was disappointed in the rough wooden floors. There were cracks in the plaster and paint on the walls, and the room seemed claustrophobically small. It was hard to picture furnishings in the room. One futon or a table would take up almost all the space. How could three people and their possessions fit?

He stood behind the group in the cramped entry way, dismayed. Urishima walked past them and up into the apartment, kicking off her geta.

She pointed to their left, "This is your toilet and bathing area." She walked over and slid open the door. The layout was awkward and strange. Yuki got the impression the bathroom had been added later and had been squeezed in the only way it would fit. The tub was small and circular, built into the wall with a high surround of wood in the far left corner. The floor was slick tile and a small shower head on the right corner to rinse off with before getting in the tub. There was a sink, partially blocking the way into the bathroom and just beside the sliding door was a tiny enclosure hiding the toilet, dingy with age.

Urishima closed the door, but not before they all noted that the tiles needed their grouting fixed, and the whole thing needed a good scrubbing.

Urishima spun on her heel and pointed to the large window. "This is the third floor, so you'll see you have a small balcony." She continued to march across the room to the back wall of the room where there were sliding doors. She slid them open and gestured as she stepped over the door track."This is your other room, and here..." she walked into the room, about as a third as large as the main room, "is your linen closet." She turned around and faced them. "Well? Any questions?"

Tooru stepped forward and glanced around the room, there was a faded spot on the floor roughly in the shape of a futon. She looked behind them and up at the circular fluorescent bulb. "There are no furnishings?"

Yuki started. Some of the dorm rooms had stated furnishings, had the senior lodgings?

Urishima gave her a narrow-eyed look. "I might have a table to lend, and a student desk from one of the other open rooms. But senior apartments usually don't come with furnishings."

"Mmm." Tooru said, she scuffed a toe over a worn bit of floor. "But this is damaged where the previous tenant had his table...Maybe instead a discount on the rent..."

Yuki and Kyou exchanged confused glances as Urishima and Tooru haggled back and forth about cleaning and painting fees, furniture and rental discounts. Was this really the same girl who'd been crying and clinging to Mai and the others in town just a few hours ago? The same girl who couldn't bear to sleep alone? The same one who'd fretted over her test math scores and was now slowly whittling a good thirty percent of their first three months rent?

Finally Urishima crossed her arms, closed her eyes and sighed. "Fine, then. You'll clean and paint, for the agreed discount, and a month before you leave I'll review the apartment to let you know if anything has to be done to recover your security deposit." She peeped at Tooru from one eye to watch the girl's reaction.

"And the security deposit will be discounted from the normal fee because of the current state of the apartment." Tooru nodded, catching that the landlady had left that portion out. "And Urishima-san will provide us with a desk and table for the room."

Urishima nodded and bowed. "Very well." She pulled a set of keys from her sleeve. "I only have two copies of the key, if you want more you'll have to make them."

Tooru bowed and accepted them. "Thank you. Oh!" She dug into her backpack and pulled out a bag of gaily wrapped cookies, a gift from one of the ladies in Mai's restaurant. "And this is for Urishima-san." She handed them to the woman. "Thank you for taking care of us."

Urishima just nodded and took the cookies. "I'll send your floor RA up when I've located furniture for you." She glanced over at the boys. "Your brothers can come and pick it up then."

"Brothers-!" Tooru choked. "No! That is...Um... Ano..."

"They're not?" Urishima gave the boys a hard look, and they swallowed. "I assumed because the family name-"

"Kyou and I are brothers." Yuki said, wincing when Kyou visibly started and paled at the lie. He lightly stepped on the Cat's foot before Kyou could voice the protest he could see building. He hadn't considered that having Tooru take the same name as them would lead to such confusion.

"Hon... _Tooru-san_ is not related to us by blood, but she has been added to the family register, and so has taken the same name." He blushed a little, not only because he'd almost slipped on Tooru's name, but because by stating that she'd been added to the family register implied she planned to marry one of them in the future.

Urishima frowned. "I wasn't informed-"

"It ain't any of your business-" Kyou started and then yelped when Yuki stomped on his foot. "What the hell, Rat!?"

Yuki bowed, "I'm sorry for the confusion, we should have explained up front."

Yuki shot Kyou a look and the Cat bit back his next round of protests. "I know it's unusual, but we've been "family" for some time now. We forget how it seems to others. Please forgive us our quirks." He kept his head down respectfully.

Urishima's lips tightened. "Well, if you're all on the same family register I don't see how I can protest." She crossed her arms, and gave them a glare. "If your sponsor is aware of this and doesn't have an issue there isn't much I can do about it. However!" She raised a bony finger. "Once graduation passes, don't assume you will be able to move to one of the other apartments while living like this. I have full authority in those cases, and any applications will be denied."

"Like we'd want-OW! You damn rat!" Kyou hopped to the side, taking his injured foot out of range of Yuki's. "What the hell was that for!?"

"Shut up." Yuki said through gritted teeth before smiling at Urishima once more. "We understand. Thank you for your consideration. We'll coordinate with the RA about the furniture later." He bowed again.

Urishima huffed and stomped towards the door. Tooru bowed to her before she left the apartment. Urishima gave her a long, disapproving look before stepping into the entryway. "Morikawa is your RA, she will inform you of the details on the particulars of the building...days for burnable and

non-burnable trash and other rules." She raked them all with another dark look. "You'll follow them to the letter or I can have your contract here revoked. Keep that in mind." She gave one final black stare at Kyou.

He bristled but kept his tongue after a warning glance from Yuki. He didn't keep his silence long, the minute Tooru closed the door he turned to the Rat and started yelling. "What the hell!" He stomped his foot. "How could you just let her talk trash like that?! And did you see the way she looked at us? What the hell is with all that nasty suspicion!"

"We should have expected it," Yuki said scrubbing a hand through his hair. "Of course people would assume we were related because of our name. And it is odd that three people our age should live alone, especially if one is a woman." He glanced at Tooru. She was red-faced and radiated shame. "And, its... it's not like we can tell them the truth." He wasn't even exactly sure what the "truth" was. "Such things... they aren't...I mean... how would we explain-"

"Yeah," Kyou said, sobering. "But why did you say we were brothers? I mean, didn't you say before that we should stick to the truth as much as possible?"

"Yes, but Keiko-san put us down as brothers for the apartment. She wasn't sure if a cousin would be acceptable for the student-only section of the dorm." Yuki felt exhaustion barreling in, the few hours they'd gotten in the hotel had not been nearly enough. "I should haven't mentioned it sooner, but I forgot until Urishima-san brought it up." He leaned against the wall, grimacing as a piece of paint and plaster flaked off onto the floor.

"Hey, are you hurting?" Kyou suddenly switched gears, looking worried and stepping closer to loom over the smaller boy. "You're pale. I know you took your medicine, but maybe the walk was too much-"

"I'm fine!" Yuki interrupted. He straightened quickly to show how fine he was and immediately winced as his shoulder pulled. He shook it off and moved away from the Cat. He looked over at Tooru who was ignoring them and gently smoothing a hand over a crack in the plaster near the light switch. "Honda-san..." He shook his head, that was such a hard habit to break! "I'm sorry."

"Sorry?" Tooru glanced at him distractedly. Her blush had faded and her brow had furrowed as she turned back to the wall and fingered crack again. "Why? It made me happy when Yuki-kun called me family." She glanced over with a smile, turned and leaned against the wall. "And I'm glad that I won't have to pretend that Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun are my brothers." She knocked her knuckles against the side of her head. "I don't think I'd be able to do that."

"No, not that..." Yuki said blushing again. He was glad he wouldn't have to pretend that as well. "This place." He gestured to the cracked walls, the rough floor, tiny bathroom and all it's other flaws. "I'm sorry that it's not better."

"Eh?" Tooru blinked at him.

"It's just, I wanted to do better for Honda-san." Yuki said, looking around and only seeing every flaw. "And really, I couldn't have even managed this for her on my own. Without Keiko-san, we wouldn't even have this."

He ran a hand through his hair again, pushing it back. "You must be very disappointed."

Tooru's distracted expression sharpened and she seemed to focus on Yuki and Kyou for the first time. "I'm not disappointed at all."

"But this place is a dump!" Kyou said. "It's dirty, it smells, and the paint-"

"But it's ours." Tooru interrupted quietly. "And it's the place that everyone, Ayame-san, Kagura-san and everyone fought so hard for us to have. A safe place for Yuki-kun, Kyou-kun and I." She turned back to the wall and traced another crack in the plaster. "Mai-san, Kitagawa-san, Keiko-san and everyone worked hard to get us here too. And we can make it beautiful, I'm sure of it."

She tapped the wall. "We'll wash this, and put on fresh plaster and paint." She looked down at the floor. "And with some cleaning and a little oil, this floor will be fine. Wood floors are easy to keep clean..." She walked around the apartment, "We'll get nice curtains..." as she described it Yuki and Kyou could almost see it themselves.

A bright sunny apartment, with fresh paint and a swept floor. Curtains flapping in the breeze, and plants on the little balcony and a pretty rug for decoration. She walked around the perimeter describing little things to make the place homey, a cabinet to hold a hot plate and radio, a mini-fridge, a little shelf with flowers and pictures, welcome mat, shoe box and coat rack by the door. She pointed out where they could put a TV if they wanted one, and where she and Yuki would study at the desk.

"And here," Tooru said standing directly below the light, "We'll put the table here. If we get a hot plate, I can do a little cooking. And in the summer, when it's hot, I'll eat shaved ice or watermelon with Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun." She took a deep breath and stretched. "It will be _perfect._" She quickly ran her fingers under her eyes to dash away a few tears that had escaped. She'd promised herself she wouldn't cry any more.

"Where should we start?" Yuki asked, feeling small and ashamed. It wasn't that he'd forgotten what everyone was going through at home... but his own problems had seemed bigger. Comparing this place to the perfection of the Souma estates, it was still a hundred times better then being there. They were free, he could be with Tooru.

"You're not starting anything," Kyou interrupted. "You're still hurt, Rat." He curled an arm and grinned at Tooru. "You can leave it to me, just tell me what you want to do." He'd rather be busy than think about Kagura, or the others. Tooru was right when she said the others at home had bought this place for them, the least they could do was take advantage of it.

"But-" Yuki started to protest.

"We should clean the floor first." Tooru said. "It needs to be scrubbed, and then oiled." She walked over to Yuki and took his hands. "And Kyou-kun is right. Kitagawa-san said that Yuki-kun shouldn't strain himself." She smiled. "There will be plenty to do for everyone. Yuki-kun can start by making a list of everything we'll need to buy!"

"Ah," Yuki blushed, and tried not to feel offended. He was so tired of

feeling like an invalid! "Well, we should start with a notepad and pen. I think I have one in my bag."

"Okay!" Tooru said cheerfully "I'll go down to Urishima-san's office and find out where the cleaning supplies are." She handed Yuki one of the apartment keys. "Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun should see if they can find a market nearby." She ticked off on her fingers. "To start we should just get some drinks, snacks,...um...we won't know what cleaning supplies to get until I find out what Urishima-san has..."

"Why don't you go do that, and we'll move our things into the other room." Yuki suggested. "Then we'll go to the market together, Honda-san is the expert in these matters after all."

"Yes! Okay!" Tooru said and gave a little wave as she ran out of the apartment.

Yuki and Kyou could hear her racing down the steps. Once the sound had completely faded, Kyou said to the air. "She's totally freaked out."

"Un." Yuki nodded. He might not be as good as Kyou at reading her moods, but even he could tell that all this energy and cheer were forced. "But what can we do but follow along?"

"Why don't you open the balcony door," Kyou said, "and air out this place. I'll go carry our stuff into the other room."

:0:0:

The dorm section of the building had a well-stocked cleaning closet, so they luckily didn't have to buy any of that themselves. Tooru insisted on starting with the grimy bathroom, though the boys suggested with starting with something easier, like cleaning the dingy balcony windows. She and Kyou got on their knees and scrubbed every inch of the bathroom, while Yuki sat outside and made a shopping list. They were lucky that it was so small a bathroom, otherwise it would have taken days.

Yuki's list didn't last long enough to occupy him during the intensive cleaning of the bathroom. And since he insisted on doing something he was grudgingly allowed to empty their suitcases into the small dresser built into the linen closet. He regretted demanding a task when he got to the bottom of Tooru's bag and found a mix of her undergarments.

All he could see was visions of Kyou walking in while he was putting them away and the explosion and teasing that would follow. He zipped it back up and turned to Kyou's bag. Tooru could sort through her own things. He sorted both Kyou's and his own into two piles, "outside" clothes and "inside" clothes. The outside clothes were the few pieces of clothing they'd bought or were able to salvage enough to be considered presentable. There were many more patched and mended clothes, inside clothes, that they couldn't wear for anything but cleaning or painting.

Yuki pulled over his list and wrote down clothes. He didn't know how much they'd need, it depended on what kind of work they found and how often they were outside of the apartment.

He paused struck by how much their life was about to change. On the mountain, it had been just the three of them... every day, every moment. And even at the restaurant, they mixed with a few people and Kyou left for work now and then, but it had still been them against the town. Soon though they would return to school, and Kyou would find a full time job. Instead of a few hours here and there they'd be spending whole days apart, even he and Tooru as he doubted they'd be in the same class. They'd have classmates, dorm-mates and co-workers. Their world was going to get much larger, and fast.

He glanced at Tooru's bag. How long would Tooru still need him and Kyou when she started making friends and a new life? Would she realize that this strange relationship they had was unnecessary? Would she make a choice between him and Kyou? What if she chose the cat? He woodenly placed the clothes in the drawers, his mind racing with "what ifs."

"Oi."

Yuki flinched in surprise and looked up a Kyou. The other boy was standing over him with an annoyed look.

"What?" Yuki asked, hunching his shoulders defensively. When had Kyou even come in the room?

"We've been calling you for the past five minutes." Kyou groused, glancing behind him.

Tooru stood in the doorway, looking worried.

"What, were you sleeping on your feet?" Kyou put his hands on his hips. "Do you need-"

"I don't need any more medicine!" Yuki cut him off, standing up. "I was just thinking, something I'm sure _you_ know nothing about."

"What the-"

Yuki brushed past him, ignoring his outburst. "Did you need something, Ho-..." he grimaced. "I'm sorry, I will break that habit before we return to school next week."

"We finished cleaning the bathroom," Tooru said. She didn't look any less worried. "Doesn't Yuki-kun feel well?" She lifted a hand to touch his forehead and then cupped his cheek. "You aren't warm."

"I'm just tired." Yuki said, stepping back a little. If she'd check his cheeks again she'd find warmth. "I'm sure we all are."

"Yeah, yeah." Kyou said, coming up behind them. "That's why we were calling you. We gotta go buy a futon."

"And linens!" Tooru said. "And some curtains too."

"Curtains can wait." Kyou said, crossing his arms. "I say we just go for what we need to sleep on tonight."

"But-" Tooru started.

"Do we even know where we can buy curtains? Or a futon?" Yuki interrupted. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but I don't think any of us have the energy to wander around looking."

Kyou started to say something back when his stomach growled loudly. He put a hand over his stomach and blushed.

"Oh," Tooru looked outside. Her watch had long ago died up on the mountain, but she'd gotten good at judging the time just from the sun. "It is past lunch-time isn't it?" She nervously drummed her fingers across her bottom lip. "We only have snacks and things from Mai-san's friends and there is no cafeteria lunch..."

"Why don't we find a restaurant?" Yuki suggested. "We saw a couple on our way here. We can ask there if they know of any place we can get the things we need. They should at least have a phone book."

"Thats a great idea!" Tooru said clapping her hands. She looked the boys over. "But Kyou-kun and I should change back into our nice clothes first." They'd changed into some of their messier things to clean in, and left their clothes folded in a pile by the closet. "I'll use the bathroom to get dressed." She said and bustled out.

"Shut the door," Kyou snapped, stomping over to his pile of clothes.

Yuki thought about protesting being ordered around, but decided he was too tired to start another argument and walked over to the sliding door. "I'll wait for you two outside, I want to get a little air."

"Wait." Kyou said, his voice muffled. Yuki turned to see Kyou half in and half out of his shirt. "Just close the door and hold on a minute." He said jerking it off the rest of the way. He cast a nervous look towards the bathroom.

Yuki stepped back into the room and slid the screen shut behind him. Not that the paper screen would do much for muffling any conversation they had, he mused. "What is it?"

Kyou continued to strip out of his clothes. "It's about her."

Yuki leaned against the wall and sighed. Of course it was about _her,_ what else did they ever talk about? What else did they even have in common? He sighed again when he realized Kyou was waiting for some response from him. "What about her?"

"We gotta watch her."

Yuki frowned. "Watch her do what?"

"No, I mean," Kyou gave a frustrated scrub through his hair, "she's going to make herself sick. You should have seen how she was attacking the bathroom. And all she could talk about was the other stuff we had to fix."

Yuki frowned and crossed his arms, "It's like when we first met..."

"What?"

"When we found Honda-san living in the woods... she was so busy with work, school and living in that tent that she was sick for days and didn't even notice. I told you she collapsed at Shigure's while claiming she could still live in that tent despite the bugs and pests."

"Yeah, well," Kyou paused to hop into his pants, "She's doing it again. She's going to work herself into another fever, if she hasn't already. She was just starting to get better."

Yuki nodded. In the bare two weeks they'd spent in town, Tooru had finally started to look well. She'd gained weight, didn't look so pale or drawn. If she kept up at the speed she was now she'd wear herself back down to nothing.

"So what do we do about it?" Kyou asked, pulling his shirt on. "She's still freaking out about what we found out yesterday."

Yuki started. Was it really only yesterday that they'd found out what had been happening at home? It felt like months. Only yesterday they'd found out about Rin, Momiji, Kagura...and his brother?

"Rat?" Yuki looked up to see a fully dressed Kyou looking down at him and uncomfortably close. "Are you okay? You went kinda pale..."

Kyou frowned as the smaller boy swayed a little in place. The Cat reached out for his shoulder. "Maybe you should sit-"

"I'm fine!" Yuki flushed red and brushed the hand away. "Quit pretending like you care about me. It's... it's weird!" He turned and slid the door open, thrusting it so hard down the track that it banged against the other end. He escaped out of the room and walked over to the door.

Tooru almost stepped back into the bathroom, startled at the loud bang the door made on the track. "Y-Yuki-kun?"

"Sorry Hon... Sorry." Yuki said, cursing himself. Her name just slipped out so easily. "I didn't mean to startle you, I just didn't expect it to move that easily down the track."

"Yes." Tooru nodded, ignoring his slip up with her name and the dark look Kyou was sending their way. She got the feeling Kyou was going to explode any minute. They'd started off okay when they were cleaning the bathroom, but it seemed everything she said just made his mood blacker. She didn't know what she was doing wrong, but now she was almost afraid to look at him for fear of setting him off. Instead she focused on Yuki.

He looks so tired, she thought. "Are we ready? Does Yuki-kun have his list?"

"I have it, and the key you gave me." Yuki patted his pocket. "We should get another key made while we're out. But we'll just be getting futon and bed linens after lunch, right?"

"That's it," Kyou said from behind them. "Anything else can wait until tomorrow."

"But curtains-" Tooru started.

"Can wait," Kyou said flatly, and walked past them to the door. "Lets go already."

:0:0:

"I can't believe it's starting to get dark already," Tooru said, trotting up the stairs holding a lamp under one arm and an alarm clock under the other. "Today has gone by so fast!"

"Yes." Yuki agreed, arms full of a linen set. He couldn't actually see where he was going and his shoulder and back were starting to really hurt. He'd insisted on carrying the unwieldy package, claiming that because it was light it would be no problem. He hadn't counted on how awkwardly large it was.

"Just... get the door... _open_... already." Kyou panted from the stairs. He had the futons strapped to his back and a death grip on the stair railings. If he stood up too straight he'd topple over backwards. The futons hadn't felt that heavy when he'd convinced the others to let them carry them home instead of having them delivered, but now he felt like he was going to collapse any moment from the strain.

"Ah, yes!

Tooru struggled with the key, nearly dropping her packages but finally got the door open. "This way, Yuki-kun." She said after she dropped her purchases in their little side room. She guided him in and into the room.

"Oh." Yuki winced when his back protested straightening after he finally got to put down the linen set. He froze hunched over, his back throbbing.

"Yuki-kun?" Tooru turned from where she was directing Kyou into the apartment. "What's-"

"It's nothing." He said faintly, slowly easing up into a standing position. "Just... a little stiff."

"Oi! Oi!_ Oi!_" Kyou yelled from the doorway. "Where am I going with these things?"

"Ah, yes, come forward!" Tooru said motioning him into the apartment. "Let's put them down in the side room."

"Why the hell did we buy two?" Kyou groused as he staggered into the room. "We only need one!"

"Um, um... oh, that is..." Tooru blushed furiously. She'd assumed they'd all be sleeping together like they had been, but for him to say it so matter of factly was embarrassing for some reason.

Kyou eased the futons off his back and stretched. "What?" He said looking at her bright red face.

Yuki coughed, a light flush of color dusting his own cheeks. "It would be strange if people thought we were all sleeping together."

"Oh, yeah," Kyou said, blushing himself.

"I'm... I'm going to run some bathwater," Tooru said and hustled out of the room. "Then I think we should sweep the main room." She called back.

"I think we should go to bed!" Kyou yelled back, following her out of the small room and into the main. She'd closed the bathroom door, and the water was running. She probably couldn't hear him, but he continued yelling anyway. "The rest can wait until tomorrow!"

"Um, excuse me."

Kyou started and spun around, dropping into a defensive crouch. "Who the hell are you?!" A young girl about his age stood just inside the doorway. He'd left it open after struggling in with the futons he realized and cursed himself.

The girl blinked at him and then checked the top paper in a pile she held. "Are you Tooru Sato-san?"

"I'm sorry." Yuki said, stepping out of the side room. "I'm Sato Yuki, this is my brother Sato Kyou." He inclined his head at the slight girl, with glasses and hair drawn back in a ponytail, standing in their empty apartment. "And you are?"

"I'm Morikawa, Morikawa Akane." She gave a hurried bow."I'm the senior RA. I'm sorry for intruding, but I knocked and the door was open."

"It's no problem." Yuki said politely, wondering frantically how much of their conversation the girl had heard. "Ah, let me call H... Tooru-san." He knocked on the bathroom door. "T..Tooru-san." He stumbled a bit over her name, he hoped it wasn't too noticeable. "The RA has come by."

"Yes!" Tooru called, and they heard the water turn off. "Coming!" Tooru popped out of the bathroom, her face freshly scrubbed. "Hello!" She said brightly.

"You're a girl!" Morikawa gasped and then blushed. "Oh, I mean... I'm sorry, I've just always thought of "Tooru" as a boy's name so I was startled-"

Tooru smiled. "My father chose it because he liked the contrast of a boy's name with a girl." She glanced at Yuki and he hurriedly made introductions.

"Sato Tooru-san, this is Morikawa Akane-san."

"Nice to meet you," Morikawa said, bowing. "There are two other Akane's on this floor, so everyone calls me Morikawa."

"It's nice to meet you Morikawa-san." Tooru bowed. "Thank you for taking care of us." She said formally.

Morikawa was still blushing when she raised her head. "I've got some papers with the various building rules." She held them out. Tooru took them and glanced over them.

"Thank you." Tooru said. "We'll do our best to follow them." Yuki and Kyou stepped a little closer so they could peer at the papers over her shoulder.

"Well, some of them are kind of ridiculous," Morikawa said, relaxing a little. "Urishima's a tyrant. We're not supposed to have hotplates, but the kitchen is only open for an hour in the morning and from five to seven at night... And what are we supposed to do for lunch on the weekends? So I won't turn you in if you have one, most of us do. Just make sure to hide it, because she does surprise inspections. Rice cookers and electric teapots are fine, and mini-fridges... but the electric is kind of old, so don't run them all at the same time or you might black out your floor."

Tooru nodded, "Urishima-san said that we could get some furniture...?"

"Oh yeah, but not until tomorrow afternoon..." Morikawa said, adjusting her glasses nervously. "Urishima has the key to the storage room and she won't be bothered after six."

"That's fine." Kyou said stretching. "I ain't lifting anything else today."

"Oh, how will Kyou-kun get the desk up the stairs by himself?" Tooru wondered out loud.

"I can help." Yuki said, though his back and shoulder were hurting enough now for him to doubt if he'd be able to lift his arm tomorrow.

"No you can't!" Kyou spat. "Kitagawa said you shouldn't be lifting anything!"

"Yuki-kun hurt his back." Tooru explained to Morikawa. She turned to Yuki. "And Dr. Kitagawa said that Yuki-kun shouldn't strain himself during the move!" She scolded.

"Oh, just ask Peter-san tomorrow. He's always willing to help out, especially if you offer him food. He lives next door." Morikawa said. "When I come by with the key tomorrow, I'll bring him."

"Peter-san?" Tooru said stumbling a bit with the unusual name.

"He's an exchange student." Morikawa said. "We've got a couple in the dorms. He's huge!" She said gesturing with her hands. "Almost six feet! And he has red hair! Real natural red hair, not a gang dye job!" She blushed and looked at Kyou. "Oh, I mean, Um..."

Kyou just stared her down. He'd heard plenty of comments about his hair, and was too tired to explain his wasn't dyed.

"Kyou-kun's is natural too," Tooru said with a smile. "I think red hair is so pretty."

"Don't call a guy pretty!" Kyou said flaming bright red.

"She didn't call you pretty," Yuki snorted, crossing his arms. "She called _red hair_ pretty, isn't that just you being conceited to think she meant that?"

"Damn rat!" Kyou said turning to him with fist raised. "You're just mad because you're usually the one people call pretty. Pretty like a little girl. Jealous, Princess?"

"Why would I be jealous of a stupid cat?!" Yuki yelled back, falling back into a fighting pose automatically.

"Uwah!" Tooru jumped in between them. "Please don't fight in front of Morikawa-san!" Tooru scolded. "What will she think of us?"

Morikawa laughed nervously. "You really are brothers, mine fight all the time too." She waved a hand. "Don't worry about it. Have you guys eaten dinner yet? The cafeteria is only open for another hour, and the food goes fast. I'll show you the way if you want."

Yuki and Tooru looked at Kyou. He'd been in a bad mood all day. He'd rushed them into a restaurant for lunch earlier and then barreled through their shopping, hurrying them through the few stores he'd even let them go in. He'd already said he just wanted to go to bed.

Kyou sighed. Tooru looked exhausted, and he could tell the Rat was hurting. He himself wanted nothing more then to collapse into one of the futons he'd just carried in. But they were both looking at him so hopefully he couldn't deny them. Besides, he could see the sense in going to see where the cafeteria was, they'd need to find it in the morning anyway. "Fine." he said gruffly. "For a little while."

Tooru clapped her hands, unable to contain her happiness. "Thank you Morikawa-san!" She patted her pocket and smiled at Yuki and Kyou. "I still have my key."

"Then let's go already," Kyou said and gave Morikawa a pointed look.

Morikawa swallowed. She didn't know about these new tenants. The girl and the other boy seemed nice enough, but this one was intimidating to the nth degree. Plus, he wasn't a student so she couldn't even threaten him with teachers. "R-right... this way."

"Be polite," Yuki hissed at Kyou as he followed the girl down the stairs. "We're going to have to live with these people."

"Yeah, whatever," Kyou said dismissively. He resolved not to open his mouth again unless specifically asked a question. He wasn't any good at dealing with people. What did the Rat expect?

"Thank you for taking the time to show us, Morikawa-san. Have you eaten dinner?" Tooru asked, breaking the tense silence.

"No, not yet." The girl smiled. "I'll eat with you tonight and introduce you around to whoever is left. There aren't too many dorm students... so we're all pretty close. This is the cafeteria-"

"Did you really call Urishima an old bag?!"

Kyou backed up a step, startled out of his thoughts by a girl thrusting her face uncomfortably close.

"Oh, no way!" One of the guys said. "Really?! That's awesome!"

"Akane! Ken!" Morikawa gasped. "I haven't even introduced them to anyone yet!"

"Ah-" Kyou colored. "Y-yeah... but-"

Morikawa adjusted her glasses and ran a hand through her hair before giving a weak smile. "I guess we should warn you. There are ears everywhere." She waggled her fingers dramatically. "Mrs. Tanaka on the ground floor heard you arguing this morning."

"And Mom told me." A boy said from the back. "I live over in the family section. I'm Abe!" He waved eagerly. His short bristly hair and large ears reminded Kyou of a monkey in a zoo.

"Not that you'd ever know it." Morikawa said said looking at Abe coolly. "Tanaka-kun spends more time here then he does at his apartment. You might as well be a dorm student."

Abe made a heart over his head with his arms. "Aw, you love me. You know it."

Morikawa rolled her eyes.

"Anyway, Anyway!" The first girl said. "You really did? Call her an old bag?"

"He did!" Abe answered for him. "I wish I could have seen it!"

"Great." Yuki muttered. "So the whole building knows about your stupid temper."

Kyou bristled.

"Oh." Tooru said clasping her hands together. "But I hope people don't think badly of us." Kyou flushed and felt about three inches tall. He knew that she'd wanted to make a good impression on their new neighbors, and one slip of the tongue ruined it.

"She totally deserves it though." Akane disagreed. "She's awwwfullll!" She sing-songed. "If something breaks you have to bug and bug her to get it fixed, but like, god forbid you don't follow one of her stupid rules! Then she's all over you to pay the fine."

"Did she tell you there is a fine for being late with the rent?" Ken asked rhetorically. "'Cause there is, but she likes to leave that out until you miss a month."

Akane nodded. "And when rent is due, she's worse than a tick. You can't scrape her off!" She put a hand on her hip and wagged a finger. "No sympathy at all! She never lets you be late, and she's such a penny pincher! She won't bargain at all!"

"Really?" Yuki said glancing at Tooru. "But we managed to get her to give us quite the discount today."

"Whattaya mean 'we'?" Kyou said. "It was all her doing." He jerked a thumb at Tooru. She fidgeted and blushed as everyone's attention shifted to her.

"You got a discount? From Urishima?" Morikawa gasped.

"She did," Kyou said, feeling an odd sense of pride in Tooru's accomplishment. "She got us thirty percent off our first month and half off the security deposit."

There was a collective gasp from the peanut gallery.

"You talked Urishima out of _money_?" Abe's monkey mouth was open wide. "Wait 'till I tell my mom!"

"How did you do it?"

"I can't believe you got that much off!"

"Especially after she'd been insulted," a boy with glasses said, looking at Kyou.

Tooru was a bit overwhelmed by all the attention. "Oh, well, it wasn't really anything at all..." She waved a hand. "We just bargained a bit. The condition of the room wasn't that good... and there is a lot of work to do..."

Morikawa seemed to sense that Tooru was feeling pressured and stepped in.

"Hey, why are we making them stand around?" She made a shooing motion. "Go clear a table for us all to eat at!" She turned to Kyou, Yuki and Tooru. "Go over there and wait in line and make your order. Trays are over there." She pointed to stack along the wall.

One of the students cleaning off the tables, a long haired girl, gave Tooru a thumbs up and waved. "Way to go, new girl!"

Tooru blushed and turned to grab a tray. "I didn't do anything so amazing," she said softly.

"It was amazing to me," Yuki said, making her look back at him. "I've never seen you like that before. Hon...er..You thought of so many things to ask about that I never would have thought of."

"Yeah," Kyou said scratching his ear as he flipped a tray under his arm. "How'd you know how to do that?"

Pleased that she'd impressed them completely unintentionally, she grinned and bounced a little in place. "When it was Mother and I, Mother's hours were often very long so I usually was the one to talk with Manager-san." She clutched her tray to her chest and closed her eyes in memory. "Manager-san tried to raise our rent a couple of times, and I had to deal with him and Plumber-san frequently." She frowned. "The kitchen sink was always clogging up. But we got lots of discounts because of that!"

"It sounds like you had to deal with a lot," Yuki said, amazed at that he'd never realized how self-sufficient Tooru had been before she met the Soumas.

"Well, mostly I only had to deal with the budgeting and the cooking." She paused and thought. "And the cleaning." She shook her head. "Mother did all of the hard work."

"Che," Kyou snorted. "Says you."

"Mother did work hard," Tooru said, sounding a bit miffed.

"I think what Kyou is saying," Yuki said, giving the Cat a warning look, "was that you worked hard too."

"Oh, well, yes." Tooru nodded. "But I was just doing my part." She smiled up at Yuki and Kyou after placing her order at the cafeteria window. "And I want to do my part now too!"

"Then we'll continue to depend on you," Yuki said, accepting his meal from the dining hall lady.

"Just don't work yourself sick," Kyou said, reaching out and mussing Tooru's hair. "We don't know how to handle any of that stuff."

"Yes!" Tooru said, happy that Kyou seemed a bit more relaxed.

"Sato-san!" Morikawa waved. "We've got seats for you over here. I'll introduce you. Most everyone is a third year like us. You'll be starting school next week, right?"

Tooru glanced at the boys, there were quite a few girls crowded around the table. Kyou scowled, his momentary relaxation evaporating. Yuki gave a little dip of his head indicating for her to lead the way.

"Yes," Tooru said cheerfully. If they weren't worried, then she wasn't. "Though we don't know what classes we're going to be in yet. I'm looking forward to it."

"Well, you've come just in time... Next month is the school festival, and that's always a lot of fun-"

Kyou tuned out the moment they mentioned school. He didn't want to think about her being involved in all sorts of things that he wouldn't be there to see. It was his own decision not to return to school but that didn't mean it still didn't rankle to be left out. There would be no school festival for him.

He let Yuki and Tooru do the greeting for them and just shuffled along behind. He nodded when either of them gestured to him, but didn't bother speaking. He didn't want to get to know any of these people. He took a tray when Tooru handed it to him, ordered something off the menu and sat down to eat.

He didn't even know what he was eating. He just knew it wasn't anywhere near as good as anything Mai, Ginta and Hiroki made back in the village... and miles away from anything Tooru made. He felt a sudden wash of home sickness. When was the last time Tooru had cooked for them, breakfast, lunch and dinner... real food and not scavenged scraps? Or when had they last sat on the roof together? Or sat in Shigure's living room, with the sun pouring in and warming the tatami mats as he lay there and watched Tooru do the mending or her homework?

He pushed his plate away, suddenly sick to his stomach.

"Kyou-kun?"

He felt Tooru touch his arm lightly and he looked up to see both her and Yuki looking at him worriedly. There was a handful of teenagers behind them, led by Morikawa, these were their dorm-mates and Yuki and Tooru's future classmates. He had no idea what conversation they'd been having or if he'd been asked a question.

"Aren't you feeling well?" Tooru asked. "Kyou-kun didn't eat much, and he's so quiet."

"That's not something you should complain about," Yuki scoffed, though he sent his own confused look at Kyou, cocking an eyebrow in question. "Usually he's so noisy you'd pay for him to be quiet," He said to the others. The crowd looked at Kyou curiously, with varying degrees of interest and suspicion.

Kyou frowned, he could tell Yuki was trying to provoke him. He wanted him to blow up like he usually did. Then Tooru would think everything was okay, and the crowd would get it's little show.

"I'm going to bed." He stood up and held out his hand. "One of you give me a key." He was too tired to perform for the crowd.

"But it's not even seven yet!" A guy said from back of the group.

Kyou just glared at him. What did he care what time it was? He was tired. "Key," he said thrusting his hand at Yuki. "You can use hers." He jerked his head at Tooru.

Yuki fished his key out of his pocket, his face blank and distracted. "Are you-"

"Later," Kyou said, snatching it as soon as it appeared. He turned to go, but Tooru tugged at his sleeve.

"I'll go with you," Tooru said and he could see he'd made her anxious. He could see in the eyes that were looking up at him she was wondering if she'd done something wrong, or said something to upset him. He tried to summon up some guilt, or some reassurance... because this black mood wasn't her fault.

But he was just tired and sad. He could admit that to himself. He was sad. This was where their goodbye started. Tooru would drift closer to Yuki, being with him all day at school, and she'd find new friends and interests. She'd get a job, and they'd never get back those lazy afternoons when the Soumas were paying for everything and all he had to do was worry about beating Yuki. She wouldn't admit it, but he knew it would happen. She'd eventually choose Yuki, and her new friends, and new life. And after graduation Yuki would find some perfect job, and they wouldn't need him, either of them.

"No, you stay here," he said. "Meet people." He shrugged. It had nothing to do with him anymore. He'd do his part for her while he could. But right now he couldn't pretend to be happy about it. He was just too tired.

"The bath is drawn," Tooru said. "Kyou-kun can go first." She stepped back and let him go.

:0:0:

"Your brother isn't very friendly, is he?" The boy who'd called out from the crowd asked Yuki.

"He didn't even introduce himself," another girl said, crossing her arms. "I thought he was kind of cute at first... but that attitude is so not cute."

"Um... why does he dye his hair? Is he in a gang?" another boy asked. He looked uncomfortable but continued. "I'm here to study. If he's going to cause problems-"

"His hair is natural," Yuki said coldly. He was annoyed at the cat for being so... himself. He was surprised that he was also angry at the other students for their quick dismissal of Kyou's character just because of his hair.

"Kyou-kun is tired," Tooru said, wringing her hands. "He carried all the bags today...all the way from the train station. And the futons, he carried both of them home. Also, he did the cleaning with me..."

"He didn't sleep last night either," Yuki said. He'd been able to drift to sleep on the car ride to the bus station, and a little bit on the train. But every time he'd woken the Cat had been awake and staring into space with a haunted look on his face.

Morikawa gave an apologetic smile to the group. "We kind of forced him to come along too. I heard him say that he just wanted to go to bed when I first got to your apartment. Please apologize to him for me. I feel bad for forcing him out if he was that tired."

"I'll pass it along," Yuki said

Yuki and Tooru exchanged glances, and she looked back towards the stairs pensively. Yuki could see she wanted to chase after him. He touched her arm and bent down to whisper in her ear. "Let's give him a little time alone," he said.

She nodded, but looked worried. That was becoming too common an expression on her face.

"So when do you start school?" Glasses boy asked.

"Next Monday," Tooru said. "But we have to go into the school this week to get our uniforms. We've been out of school for so long it will be hard to go back, but I'm looking forward to it!"

"You haven't been in school?" The glasses boy looked shocked. "But you'll be so far behind! What about your entrance exams!"

"Oh, well, college..." Tooru shook her head. "I'll just be happy to finish high school. Then I'll start working."

One of the girls sat down next to Tooru. "That means you can join clubs!" She grinned. "I'm just a second year, I live below you guys. I'm in the Art club and we're always looking for new members!"

"I'm no good at drawing." Tooru said. "But I would like to join a club... I was in the gardening club with Yuki-kun back home."

"We have a gardening club," one of the boys said. "We even have a greenhouse."

"Really?" Tooru said eagerly, clasping her hands together. "I'd like to see that!"

"Oh wow," Morikawa said and took Tooru's hand, turning her arm to reveal the silver links around her wrist. "Your bracelet is so pretty! I love butterflies."

Tooru smiled and stroked the links, touching the little charm lightly... almost reverently. "Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun bought it for me. It's a memorial for my mother, she... she um... also loved butterflies." She stumbled over the last bit. Yuki and Kyou had warned her that she shouldn't tell people about her mother's gang heritage. There was only one "Red Butterfly" and she only had one daughter. They wouldn't put it past the Soumas to have ears even in that world. Still, it felt so wrong to lie about her mother. "After I lost her picture in the storm, they found this charm to help me remember her."

"Your mother..." Morikawa said trailed off. "Um... and your father?"

"He passed when I was very young." Tooru smiled, used to having to explain her orphan status by now. She could see the expressions around her starting to fall into familiar lines of pity. "But I'm not alone." Tooru smiled. "I have Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun, so I am very happy."

"So, uh," Morikawa said eager to change the subject, "You were in the typhoon that caused all that damage? Even our power went out."

"Yes." Tooru shuddered. "The house fell down."

"The whole house did!?" The girl sitting next to her asked, covering her mouth.

"Ah, no...It was just the roof." Yuki waved his hands, that was too dramatic a story. While he thought with their "death" it would take the Soumas a long time to start looking for them again, he didn't want to make it easy for them if something went wrong. They didn't need to be that memorable. "But there was a lot of damage, and there was very little we could save. It's the main reason we transferred here, we were staying with friends but we wanted to be on our own again."

"Wow," The art club girl said, wide-eyed. She flipped her hair over her shoulder and gave Yuki a long appreciative look.

"So you guys are on your own?" Morikawa asked, blinking at them from behind her glasses. "You don't have any family?"

"We have each other." Tooru said with a soft smile. She stroked the bracelet absently. That felt so good to say. She hadn't had a real family she could call her own in a long time.

Her smile widened, her family. She glanced at Yuki and he smiled back at her. She missed the feeling of Kyou at her other shoulder, even though he'd only been gone for a few minutes. Was this what every day at school was going to be like, glancing over her shoulder trying to catch a glimpse of a person who wasn't there?

"That's kind of cool, being on your own. You can do whatever you want!" The long haired girl next to Tooru gushed. "I wouldn't go back to school!"

"How are you paying the school fees and dorm rent?" Glasses boy asked incredulously. "And you don't have an allowance or anything?"

"We had some money saved." Yuki said.

"And Kyou-kun is going to work full time." Tooru said. "So we can study. But we'll-" She interrupted herself with a huge yawn, "Excuse me! Um, we'll be getting part-time jobs to help out too."

"That's not allowed-" Glasses boy started.

"We have special permission." Yuki interrupted. He knew "glasses boy" type, studious, straight arrow, and pretentious. In other words, just like himself before he'd met Tooru. He was so caught up in obeying "the rules" he couldn't understand people who lived outside of them... or even why the rules had been put in place to begin with. "As long as our grades remain good, we can work."

Tooru nodded and yawned again. "We have to look for work this week too. Does..." she yawned again. The light dinner, and finally sitting down for a while, were combining to make her feel her lack of sleep. "Does anyone know of any place that hires students?"

Morikawa pursed her lips, "Well, I heard a couple of girls worked for a local restaurant before they got caught by the school..."

Yuki touched her shoulder. "We can worry about that tomorrow. You're falling asleep on your feet." Tooru nodded and got to her feet.

"It was nice meeting all of you," she said before she was overtaken by another yawn. She was sure she wouldn't remember any of their names tomorrow, she didn't know most of them now. Morikawa had run through them all so fast that she couldn't keep track. She just knew there was at least one of the "other Akanes" in the group. She gave a little bow. "Goodnight."

"We'll see each other again." Yuki smiled his most princely smile. "I look forward to getting to know everyone better. Goodnight." He turned and led Tooru out of the basement cafeteria, swooning girls and jealous boys left in their wake.

He was annoyed at how shallow they all were. Didn't that girl realize how cold it was to say it was "cool" they were on their own? And why did that guy with glasses care if they worked or not? It didn't effect him any. The rest of them were no better.

"Do you think Kyou-kun is okay?" Tooru asked as they walked up the steps to their apartment. "Maybe he's getting sick," she fretted. "He's been pushing himself so hard."

He couldn't help himself. Yuki laughed. When Tooru looked up at him quizzically he shook his head. "Kyou was saying the same thing earlier about you." He paused at the bottom of the stairway to the final flight of stairs. "He worried you were pushing yourself so hard you'd work yourself up into a fever."

"Kyou-kun did?" Tooru said, her steps slowing. She had an introspective look as she unlocked the door and let them in.

Yuki put his hands on his hips. "Baka Neko," He muttered.

Kyou had thrown the futon right next to the wide open balcony door. He'd made up the bed in a hurry, making the futon look lumpy because it wasn't centered in the zippered cover they'd bought. He was sleeping under the three comforters they'd bought, but still looked cold. It probably didn't help that his hair was still wet from his bath.

"What an idiot," Yuki said to Tooru. "It's going to be freezing sleeping there. He should have put it in the side room, or at least closed the door."

"It stinks too much in there, or if the door is closed." Kyou said, glaring up from under the covers. "All I could smell was cigarettes." He hid his head under the covers. "Bath is ready for whoever's next. Hurry up so we can turn out the light."

"I'm sorry," Tooru said, "Did we wake you?"

"No." Kyou's voice was tinged with irritation, "I just laid down a couple of minutes ago." In truth, he'd been dozing for a while, but had been unable to drift off without her next to him. Despite the new futon's overwhelming comfort and the warmth from the blankets, he just couldn't relax without her at his back. "Hurry up already."

"Honda-san can take her bath first," Yuki said.

"Call her by her _name_, Rat," Kyou snipped.

Yuki sighed, "Sorry, sorry."

"Why doesn't Yuki-kun go first?" Tooru said. "I want to unpack the rest of my clothes." She'd noticed he'd been too embarrassed to put away her underwear. She found that cute and endearing. "And he has to take his medicine before he sleeps too." She knelt by the futon. "I'll wait for you to finish."

"Ah, yes..." Yuki said. "Let me just get my pajamas."

"Oh!" Tooru said. "We don't have any glasses!"

"I'll manage," Yuki said chuckling as he walked into the little room. "But I'll add it to my list of things we need to buy." He came out with his pajamas and a ratty towel over one arm. "Eventually we should think about replacing these as well."

"Yes." Tooru nodded. "Please take your time in the bath."

Yuki blushed, nodded and walked past them to the bathroom.

Tooru smiled at Kyou, who was watching her sleepily from the futon. "I'll turn out the light in here so Kyou-kun can sleep. I'll plug in the lamp in the other room, for Yuki-kun and I." Right now the ceiling light was the only thing illuminating the apartment, and it didn't reach all of the corners and left the little side room in darkness.

"Leave it," Kyou said. "Just put your stuff away. I won't be able to sleep with you both moving around anyway."

"Sorry," Tooru apologized, getting up. "I'll hurry and put my things away then."

Kyou sighed, exhausted. Both of them would drive him insane. Couldn't they just get in bed already so he could sleep?

Tooru sat in the dim side room and quickly put away her things. She debated sleeping in her new pajamas, but it was still a little cold for them. She decided to stay with Kyou's sweatshirt and pants. She heard Yuki exit the bathroom, he must've hardly let himself soak.

"Yuki-kun should have soaked longer," she scolded as she grabbed up her sleepwear and towel. "It would have helped his back."

"My back is fine," Yuki said, and then winced as he bent to get into bed.

"Yeah right," Kyou muttered as Tooru disappeared into the bathroom. "Bet you can't get up on your own tomorrow."

"I'm _fine!_" Yuki insisted, settling in on his side of the futon. They'd be cramped on one, even though this was the biggest they'd found, family sized.

Kyou snorted but didn't keep arguing. They heard the shower click on in the silent apartment and both boys shared a glance with each other, easily picturing what the other must be picturing. (She was naked right now... water flowing...) They both flushed and Yuki turned over painfully so he wouldn't be looking at the Cat any longer.

Tooru popped out of the bathroom, freshly scrubbed. She hadn't bothered to wash her hair or soak in the bath, not wanting to sleep on wet hair or keep the boys up while they waited for her. She reached up and pulled the cord for the ceiling lamp and then carefully picked her way over to the futon.

Yuki threw back the covers so she could get in without having to ask. She gently eased herself over him to her spot in the middle.

"I'm glad we cleaned the bathroom first," Tooru said as she settled in. Yuki pulled the covers over them both and turned to face her. "It feels good to be clean before going to bed."

"Is that why you were so frantic about getting it done today?" Kyou asked, raising his eyebrows. He hadn't thought there was a plan behind it. He thought she'd just chosen that room to clean first because it was the smallest.

"Yes," she said snuggling in and rolling over to face Kyou. "Now no matter how messy we get tomorrow or the next couple of days we'll have somewhere to clean up."

"Honda-san was thinking ahead," Yuki said, moving close enough to rest his forehead between her shoulder blades and running strands of her hair between his fingertips without even thinking about it.

"Oi," Kyou said, moving forward a little to look at the other boy above Tooru's head, and sliding his arm up her hip, "Quit it with the "Honda" all the time."

"It's just us right now," Tooru said sleepily.

"Yeah, but what if he slips in front of the others or something," Kyou said with a jaw popping yawn. "Why don't you practice some more?"

Tooru peeped up at Kyou suddenly remembering what "practicing" had led to this morning in the hotel. She'd gotten herself tucked comfortably under his chin, so it was a little hard to catch his eye, but she could see he was remembering too. At her back she could _feel_ the heat radiating off of Yuki's cheeks as he remembered.

Feeling her own face warm and wondering if Kyou could feel it against his neck, Tooru said. "I... I'd like that, if Yuki-kun would."

She felt Yuki shift and then breathe against the back of her neck.

"Tomorrow," Yuki said, his cheeks burning. "I'll practice tomorrow."

Tooru sighed, a mixture of relief and disappointment chasing through her middle. She'd really liked the kisses they'd exchanged this morning (was it only this morning?). She'd loved the closeness and the connection she'd felt between the three of them. At the same time she felt like a horrible person for wanting to kiss and snuggle happily while Kagura was in the hospital and who knew what else was happening back at the Souma compound.

She sobered. Today, most likely, the Soumas would have been told of their "deaths." Kunimitsu would have reached the dojo late this afternoon. How awful of them to put Ayame, Kazuma and the others through that. She shuddered.

"Wazzamatter?" Kyou asked, half asleep as he rubbing his cheek against the top of her head, "Cold?" He snuggled infinitesimally closer.

"...buy more blankets tomorrow..." Yuki murmured sleepily. He nudged closer and rested his cheek against her shoulder. His hand idly ran up and down her arm in a "warm up" gesture before she felt him slacken into to sleep behind her.

"Mmm," Kyou agreed, and she felt when he let the last of his tension go as he too drifted off to sleep, nose buried in her hair.

It was rare that they fell asleep before her. She felt safe, warm and terribly sad. She didn't deserve this comfort. She closed her eyes and hoped it wouldn't be obvious in the morning that she'd been crying. It helped a little to know that this wasn't just for her. It wasn't just that they were trying to help keep her promise to her mother. They were saving Kyou from being locked up, Yuki from being trapped by Akito, and she got to have a family. She sniffled.

"Mother," she said to herself, "I will be strong, and I will find a way to save them. I promise." She forced herself to relax into the comfort they so freely gave her. "I will give them a home."

:0:0:

"Auugh!"

Tooru flinched awake. "Kyou?" She said raising her head from underneath the blankets. "Oh! Ow!" She quickly ducked back under, blinded by the brilliant dawn sun.

"Crap!" Kyou threw himself under the blankets facing her and digging the heels of his hands into his eyes. "I'm blind! Friggin' sun. What the hell!?"

"Shut _up_, Baka Neko," Yuki growled, his cheek still pressed against Tooru's shoulder. "Too early."

Now that she was awake, Tooru became aware of how uncomfortable she was. Yuki was pressed right up against her. Only an arm tucked up between them kept him from transforming. His elbow was digging into the small of her back, and she couldn't shift at all because his other arm was holding her tight around the waist. Kyou's legs were slung over hers and she was pinned in place, Only one arm was free and used it to rub at her eyes, trying to get the spots to go away, eyes watering from the brilliant glimpse she'd gotten.

"It's your fault!" Kyou yelled, still rubbing at his eyes. "You stole the friggin' blankets. Again!"

Tooru glanced at the blankets on top of her. Last night they'd all had an equal share, but apparently Yuki had been tugging them toward himself all night. She was still covered, but if he rolled over she'd be exposed to the sun. To hide his head under the covers, Kyou had to crawl practically on top of her. Apparently Yuki had tugged off his last cover and the bright sunlight had both woken him and blinded him. She tried to wriggle out of Yuki's grip so she could tug the covers back towards Kyou.

"Mph," Yuki said, tightening his grip and turning his head to nuzzle her back. "Sleep more."

"Yuki-kun," she gasped. His hand was a fist right in her stomach, pressing down. It wasn't painful, but it felt like he was pressing right on her bladder. She tried to pry his hand off, but he was holding her too tight.

"Augh. Dammit," Kyou muttered, his eyes tearing but finally starting to clear.

"Kyou-kun," Tooru said pleadingly. "I need to get up."

"So get up," Kyou said, irritated by his rude awaking. He did pull his legs off of her, realizing he was part of the reason she couldn't escape.

"Yuki-kun won't let me go," she said, still tugging at the other boy's arm. "Yuki-kun, I have to get up." She said over her shoulder, trying to appeal to him directly.

"Ngh," Yuki said, shifting his face deeper into the pillow. Wondering how he could breathe with his cheek against her back and face in the pillow, Tooru gave an exasperated giggle.

"He's really got you trapped," Kyou said watching her trying to escape.

"I really have to get up," Tooru said. "I have to... I have to..." She blushed.

"What?" Kyou's face suddenly cleared. "Oh! Um..." He looked around as if there was an answer under the blankets with them. "Maybe if you lean back he'll transform?"

Tooru tried it, leaning backwards and moving her shoulders from side to side trying to reach his torso. "I can't, his arm is in the way. Oh." She squeezed her eyes shut. "I really have to-"

"Okay, um, keep your eyes shut," Kyou said, and closed his own. He tugged the blankets down.

Tooru could see a wash of red as the sunlight bore through her eyelids, dazzling her even with her eyes shut.

"Ahh!" Yuki drew his hands back to cover his face, rolling away from her. "Bright!" Even with his head buried in her back, this close to the window there was no escaping the light.

Tooru cracked her eyes open, and shot up out of the bed. She was glad there were no obstacles between her and the bathroom, she wouldn't have been able to see them. The darkness of the windowless bathroom was a relief.

When she walked back into the room, blinking and shielding her eyes, she wasn't surprised to see Yuki and Kyou had retreated back under the blankets. She trotted over and eased herself back under the comforters, crawling in from the middle. The morning sun was bright, but the wind coming in from the open sliding door was cold.

"Is this why you wanted to buy curtains yesterday?" Yuki asked as she settled herself back in.

"Yes," Tooru said, nestling into the warmth between them. She lay her head back against her pillow and yawned. It couldn't be much past five in the morning. The rest of the building was still quiet. They'd gone to bed early, but they were still working on a deficit of sleep.

"Why didn't you say so!" Kyou grumbled tucking the comforter closed over them.

"Kyou-kun wouldn't listen yesterday," Tooru said seriously. "He just wanted to rush back while we were shopping."

He frowned and didn't deny it, he held up the blanket like a tent with one hand. "You needed to rest, and the Rat-"

"I was fine," Yuki interrupted in irritation. He was getting so tired of having to justify himself.

"Yuki-kun wasn't." Tooru rolled to her stomach and rested her chin on folded arms. She tilted her head to look at him. "Yuki-kun's face was pale, and he looked like he was in pain. Does your back hurt?

Kitagawa-san-"

"I'm-." Yuki insisted and turned on his side to face her better. "Oh!" The pressure on his shoulder when he shifted caused a shooting pain to lance through him and his back seized when he tried to move too quickly out of the position. "Ah..." He grimaced settling back onto his stomach. The muscles of his back quivered as they slowly unclenched.

"See!" Kyou said rolling onto his stomach and inching over to point over Tooru's back, causing the blanket tent to ripple when he moved. "You overdid it yesterday! I never should have let you carry those stupid sheets."

"What were we supposed to do with them? You already had the futons-" Yuki said defensively. "And I'm fine... I'm always stiff in the mornings."

"Not this stiff," Tooru said softly, cutting through the building argument. "The futon cover was too big for me to carry, but we should have paid the extra expense to have everything delivered like the salesman offered."

"I was fine carrying them," Kyou muttered.

"I bet Kyou-kun is sore this morning too." Tooru said turning her head to look at him. "His shoulders and back don't hurt at all?"

Kyou looked down. "It's nothing. I'm fine."

"Kitagawa-san said that when people go through hard things they sometimes don't think clearly." Tooru said, glancing up at the blanket above them. The bright sun filtered through the red comforter and turned everything rosy. Beside her, on both sides the boys tensed, awaiting an accusation. "I think, maybe yesterday I wasn't. I was really tired still, and I kept thinking about..." she looked down, "what Kunimitsu-san told us." She sighed and closed her eyes. "It's easier to think about cleaning bathrooms and curtains than worrying about that. And if I'm really tired... I don't think so much about anything at all."

She turned on her side towards Kyou and he blinked at her in the reddish glow under the blankets. "I think," she said hesitantly, "that it's easier for Kyou-kun to worry about Yuki-kun and I than to worry about what's happening at home. And it's easier to be angry at...everything, than it is to be scared."

Kyou's eyebrows drew down and he started to retort, but she quickly put her fingers over his mouth. "I also spoke with Mai-san and Keiko-san about..." she tried to figure out how to explain the conversation she'd had with the older women, "...about being adult." She glanced at Yuki. "It was the day when we fought over the laundry." She explained. "They said I need to listen better, and explain myself better." She looked back at Kyou. "Will Kyou-kun let me explain what I mean?"

He gave a short nod and she took down her hand and rolled to her back, clasping her hands over her chest. She glanced at Yuki. "Yuki-kun is pushing himself, because feeling pain makes him feel less guilty about his brother and everyone back home." She glanced back at her hands. "I don't think that loving Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun is wrong. I don't think that... you loving me is wrong." She said, encompassing both of them in the "you." She sighed. "I promised I wouldn't cry any more, and that I'd be strong. So I'm going to try to be adult, and let Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun lean on me, and lean on them when I need to. Together we'll get so strong that Akito-san can't stop us from helping everyone else." She put her "determined face" on. "But that means I need to listen too."

"Yuki-kun told me yesterday that you," She looked at Kyou, "were worried that I was working too hard. Why didn't Kyou-kun tell _me_?"

"I- I, uh, well, I..." Kyou stammered, and gave Yuki a glare over her shoulder. He'd assumed that it would be understood he'd told the Rat that in confidence.

"Yuki-kun told me, because I said the same thing about Kyou-kun." Tooru explained, covering his hand with hers. "I guess I didn't tell you directly because thought you might get..." she shrugged, "upset at me for noticing. Was it the same for Kyou-kun?"

"Yeah," Kyou said finally. "You... you cry and stuff when you think we're disappointed in you. I can't handle that. Or you try to hide how much you're doing so we won't worry."

"I've promised I won't cry anymore," Tooru said. "Keiko-san said adults can't just cry and expect their problems to be solved. And, if Kyou-kun and Yuki-kun will promise to tell me when I'm doing something wrong I'll promise that I won't hide anything from them. I think... I think this... us... won't work if we keep secrets."

"I don't keep secrets," Kyou said defensively.

"Kyou-kun and Yuki-kun both kept secrets from me," Tooru reminded him. "I didn't know anything about the main house, or the Cat's room-"

"'Cause it didn't matter!" Kyou interrupted.

"It did too," Yuki said, shrugging off Kyou's dirty look. "And I should have told her about having to go back to Akito's side." He shifted uncomfortably. "We shouldn't have made it seem like we could go back in the beginning. Honda-san really never had a real choice about being here. I'm sorry."

"Mmm." Tooru shook her head. "I wouldn't have chosen differently, even if I could. Yuki-kun is right that I didn't have a choice. Even though I didn't know it then, my heart was already caught up in Kyou-kun and Yuki-kun. Maybe it makes me selfish... but I want to be happy with you both." She looked down. "It must make me a horrible person, that all I can think of is my own happiness when everyone at home-"

"Don't." Kyou gripped her upper arm, and closed his eyes in a grimace and pressed his forehead to hers. The blanket settled over the top of them, the tent he'd been holding up collapsed. "We can't think that way."

"I don't think we can stop," Yuki said, sliding his hand up Tooru's arm until it rested just below Kyou's. He slid over, groaning as he shifted to his side and panted into her neck at the effort. "I can't stop thinking of Nii-san... and the others. It's okay to think of them, and... Tooru..." She flinched when he said her name, "It's okay to cry sometimes."

Almost on command Tooru felt herself tear up.

"But," Yuki continued, "we have to think about what they want for us too. Kagura-nee, Nii-san, Shi-han...Didn't we already decide they'd want us to be happy?"

"Shishou gave up his dojo for me," Kyou said, his tone harsh and angry. "I'm _going_ to be happy." His hand clenched on Tooru's arm painfully.

"Kyou-kun," Tooru breathed. He was so close she could feel the tears he wouldn't admit to. She tilted her head up or he tilted his down, it was hard to tell in the red haze under the blankets, but whichever happened it brought their lips together. For a moment they traded breaths, his hot breath ghosting over her lips. "It's alright...it's okay." Her words came out in soft, breathy, little pants.

Kyou made a strangled noise deep in his throat. He took a deep breath, swallowing the sob, and then moved the minuscule distance forward to make it a desperate kiss.

Tooru gasped at his urgency and his tongue dipped in, almost accidentally, tasting her. She remembered vaguely once, when hearing about this kind of kiss from Uo-chan, thinking it strange and kind of gross. Somebody else's tongue in your mouth... But that wasn't how it was at all. At first she almost drew back, and he paused awkwardly himself as if surprised and confused. Then he pressed forward again, his tongue moving and she found herself pressing in and reciprocating.

She felt Yuki's fingers travel up her arm to cover Kyou's hand, still clutching her arm in a painful death-grip. Kyou twitched, his grip relaxed and her circulation returned in prickles. His kiss became less desperate and a languid feeling unfurled in her stomach. She felt Yuki press his cheek against the back of her neck. It was strange kissing Kyou like this when Yuki was _right there_, but in an odd way it made her feel connected to Yuki too. She was sure Kyou hadn't realized he was hurting her, and the simple touch fixed everything.

Yuki closed his eyes when Tooru gave a breathy moan. Her skin was heating up under his cheek, and the Cat was making her shiver.

"Mmm." Kyou's voice was deeper then normal.

"Ah," Tooru panted as they separated briefly for a gasp of air.

Yuki had never known that kissing sounded like this, wet and frantic. He felt his own skin start to tingle and grow heated. He nuzzled instinctively into her back, feeling the muscles around her shoulders shift and move as she and Kyou got more energetic about their kissing. Tooru's legs shifted as she began to squirm, a strange energy suffusing her limbs.

The Rat shivered as her foot slipped between his feet and rubbed against the back of his calf. He breathed out, his hot breath chasing down the back of her sweatshirt. She shifted at the ticklish sensation and his fingers twitched over Kyou's hand, tightening instinctively, trying to keep her still. Kyou's grip, already slack, loosened and his fingers spread to entwine with Yuki's over her arm. Their fingers threaded and and Kyou's finger ran down Yuki's index finger idly stroking at the smooth skin between his fingers and brushing between the knuckle and join of his fingers.

The sensation was electric. Yuki felt it travel through his hand, and straight though his nerves to his stomach and groin. He felt himself jerk, his hips pressing up against Tooru's backside. He pulled his hand away, shocked that he could be affected _that way_ by a movement of Kyou's. He threw himself out of the futon, tearing the confining blankets off and flooding their sanctuary with light.

He ignored the screaming pain in his back, doing a strange scrabbling crab walk away as he tried to escape his own body's reaction.

Perhaps their eyes had adjusted as they lay under the blankets, but the sun didn't seem so bright and obscuring now. Kyou and Tooru had broken apart, panting. Kyou drew up on himself, sitting up and hiding his own excitement with his pillow. He couldn't bear to look at either of them.

Tooru flopped on her back, sucking in air. _That was..._she thought..._what was that?_ She slowly levered herself up. _Why did we stop?_ Her brain started working again, slowly. Yuki was the one who'd left the futon. "Y-Yuki-kun?" She stammered. Her lips felt bruised, and she reached up to touch them.

"Bathroom!" Yuki yelled and scrambled for it. He slammed the door shut behind him, and bounced off the sink in his panic. He grabbed onto it and barely managed to hold himself up. He felt like he was going to be sick.

"Yuki-kun?" Tooru called from just outside the door. "Are you-"

"I'm fine!" He cried, and was ashamed at how raw his voice was. He turned on the water taps full blast, hoping she'd let it drop. His heart was still hammering in his chest, and he looked around the tiny bathroom for somewhere else to hide. He opened the little bathroom stall, awkward and strange, and sat on the closed toilet seat. He buried his head in his hands.

:0:0:

_I know! I know! This is an awful place to stop. But don't worry, I'm actually going to do another update to this story (I have about 20 pages written so far) before going to Full Course. You may have noticed that there are a lot less grammer and spelling errors in this chapter. That's because Dreaming0 has been kindly beta-ing for me. She also informed me that she'd be leading the torches and pitchfork brigade if I **really** stopped here and made everyone wait my usual long time between chapters. I think maybe two weeks and the next chapter will come out._


	27. Midmorning Stretch

Merry Christmas everyone! Sorry this took way longer then the couple of weeks I thought it was going to. A lot of stuff happened between Chapter 26 & 27. First I went to New York Anime Fest. Then I had tooth pain that ended up turning into a root canal & four other fillings (don't put off going to the dentist kids). I also went to two other conventions, one a surprise addition to my schedule. I visited a mountain (the base not the peak.) And I bought a house! Well, I'm buying a house, I put in the offer in September and was supposed to close in October but lots of stuff happened and we still haven't closed yet. This was the main distraction that kept it from being done. Plus Dreaming0, my beta who does an awesome job, kept this chapter hostage for weeks before she got it back to me. (So you can chase her with pitchforks with a bit, no actual maiming because she helped me through a real difficult bit with this chapter) I've had it myself for about two weeks now, but I've had the most horrible cold and cough and I spent most my time of from work knocked out with nyquil. So finally, here it is... I hope it was worth the wait.

This chapter is also dedicated to Sanuq, who back in August wrote me the sweetest, longest, detailed, most awesome review ever! And because of all of that stuff above, I ended up never sending her a proper reply because I kept waiting for some time to do it _right. (_That review was awesome, and I pull it out every time I need pepping up.) Plus even cooler, I met her at Anime North and she was awesome and cool in person too and totally made my day by telling me she'd read my fanfiction. I talked about it the whole weekend and when I got home too.

Anyway, enough with my rambling and on to the story. Since this was in revision for a while, I already have the next chapter of Full Course pretty much together and it will be posted soon, then I'll be working on Spotted! before returning to Discoveries again. The bonus being that I actually have some past this already written, so hopefully it won't take as long to get back to it as last time.

::0::0::

Tooru automatically went to follow Yuki, hesitating halfway between the futon and the bathroom. She glanced back at Kyou. He met her confused gaze only for a moment before turning away to look out the balcony, shifting to lean on the edge of the sliding door. He looked up into the sun, letting it blind him again.

_What the hell? WHAT THE HELL?! _He tried to figure out the sequence of events. First he'd been woken by the rays of doom boring right into his eyes (courtesy of the Rat.) Then they'd talked, and the damn Rat had told Tooru things he'd told him in confidence. _Then_ the Damn _RAT_ had brought up Kagura and the others and things got a little hazy. There had been kissing. His ears started to burn and his heart stuttered, he couldn't blame that on the Rat.

That had been... He looked away from the sun and watched the spots that formed in the air before him. That had been... He wanted to do _that_ again. Hell, he hadn't wanted to stop in the first place. That he could blame on the Rat. Why the heck had the damn Rat freaked out? There's no way he had to go to the bathroom that bad that he would've have jumped out like that, all of the sudden. Kyou looked at the bathroom door and his brow furrowed. Tooru and he had been kissing... and then... what?

The room was silent when Yuki finally calmed down enough to think about emerging. He turned off the taps and listened at the door. It was so quiet that he wondered if they'd left. He was tempted to slide the door open a crack to peek.

"Yuki-kun?"

Yuki jerked back. Tooru must be right on the other side of the door. His heart started to thud again, and his face flooded with color. Maybe it was an instinct of his Rat nature, but he just wanted to hide somewhere dark and quiet. He wanted to pretend this morning had never happened. He paced in a nervous circle, wringing his hands. There was no escape.

"Are you all right?" Tooru asked and he suddenly feared she'd open the door and come in. There wasn't a lock, it was only courtesy that was keeping her from entering.

Outside Tooru looked over at Kyou pleadingly.

Yuki retreated to the bathroom stall and sat on the toilet again, drawing up his legs. He wrapped his arms around his knees and rested his forehead against them. "I'm being so stupid." He whispered to himself, squeezing his eyes shut. He couldn't hide here forever. But he couldn't face them either. Not her, and certainly not _him._

"Oi."

Yuki shuddered and didn't respond. _Please don't come in,_ he pled in his mind, _please don't come in._

"OI!" Kyou said louder. "Hey... uh... "

Yuki held his breath, biting back a hysterical giggle. Was complete mortification deadly? Because he really thought he was going to die.

"Oi, Rat!" Kyou banged the flat of his palm against the sliding door making it rattle on the track. "You listening? Did you, uh... get a cramp?"

Yuki's head flew up. _Cramp?_

"Oh no!" Tooru said. "Because he carried those linens yesterday? Do you think he's okay? Maybe he fell-"

"No, uh," Yuki could hear the embarrassment in Kyou's voice, "not that kind of cramp."

"Then what kind-"

"No!" Yuki yelped, and scrambled for the door. He slid it open and found himself practically nose-to-nose with Kyou. He glared at the Cat. "I did not get a _cramp." _He looked away. "Baka. What are you saying to her?"

"Then what the hell?!" Kyou shouted.

"Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun are keeping secrets again," Tooru said from behind them. "What kind of cramp did Kyou-kun think Yuki-kun had?"

"Look what you've started!" Yuki said, wishing he could slam the door shut again and go back to hiding.

Kyou felt his confusion burning away to release the hot anger behind it. He'd tried to be sympathetic. The Rat had helped cover for him back on the mountain when he'd woken up with his own "cramp." He'd been trying to return the favor. Instead Yuki had thrown it back in his face and was glaring at him like this was somehow _his_ fault.

"Then what the hell!?" Kyou cried, frustrated and angry. That kiss had been _awesome_. And it had ended because of the damn rat had freaked out. He was owed some kind of explanation.

"It's none of your business!" Yuki shouted back, his face almost purple from his own mixture of shame and anger. The Baka Neko didn't even know what he'd done. And he wasn't going to explain it to him!

"The hell it isn't!"

"If Yuki-kun didn't get a...a cramp..." Tooru cut in, looking back and forth between them. "Did... Did I do something....?" She knew that Yuki and Kyou were talking in doublespeak when they said "cramp," they were keeping some sort of secret from her. It hurt. But even worse was to think that this mess might somehow be her fault. They only kept secrets when they were trying to protect her. What were they protecting her from now? Had she done something wrong?

"No!" Yuki and Kyou shouted in unison, horrified.

"No," Yuki repeated, trying to sound calm. "I was... I was just uncomfortable." He brushed past them and walked to the other side of the room. "Let's just drop it." _Please, let's drop it,_ he thought. "We've got a lot to do today. I thought we'd sleep in, but maybe it's better to get an early start." He reached the doors to the second room and slid them open. "We should get dressed-"

"Did I make Yuki-kun uncomfortable?" Tooru asked bluntly, stepping forward to close the distance between them. Her soft question cut Yuki to the quick. She sounded so guilty.

"No." Yuki turned around. The apartment was so small there was no way to maintain a comfortable separation, she was already right there next to him. "No, nothing Honda-san did made me uncomfortable." Reflexively his eyes darted to Kyou before he looked back at her, the Cat having followed her across the room.

"What? You're saying _I_ did something?" Kyou sputtered. "I didn't do anything!" Had he? Kyou's mind wandered over the sequence of events again. He and Tooru had been kissing. His mind stuttered to a halt... that kiss... He shook himself out of it... they'd been _doing that_ and then the Rat had freaked out. Had something happened before that? He stared at the Rat, trying to think of something, anything he could have done.

Yuki returned the Cat's glare. Why couldn't they just drop it? "It doesn't matter," he said looking down at his hands. He realized he was nervously smoothing between the join of his finger and knuckle of his right hand with his left forefinger and thumb. He dropped his hands self-consciously.

Kyou's eyes widened. He had a faint memory of feeling something brush up against his hand. His eyebrows drew together in concentration. He'd been kissing Tooru, and holding on to her for dear life because he still thought she might disappear at any moment. Then something had brushed his hand and he'd relaxed. That's when the kiss had gotten really good... Then something had brushed his fingers and....

Feeling his stomach plummet into his toes, Yuki watched Kyou realize what he'd done. Yuki briefly debated making a dash past them for the bathroom. As if sensing his intent Tooru reached out and took his hands.

She glanced over at Kyou. "Something did-"

"No," Kyou said flatly. "It wasn't anything." He abruptly turned. "We need to set that stupid clock you bought yesterday. I'm going to see how soon breakfast is. I'm hungry."

"Kyou-" Tooru started, but he was out the door, slamming it behind him before she could finish. She blinked and then looked up at Yuki. "He forgot his shoes."

Yuki sank to the floor where he stood, his legs suddenly jelly and still clutching Tooru's hands. He could feel her gazing down at him as he pressed her hands to his forehead. That wasn't the reaction he'd been expecting from the Cat. He expected Kyou to bluster and yell, or accuse him of over-reacting, or to continue to plead ignorance. He didn't expect the Cat to just disappear. He started to shake. He dropped Tooru's hands and tried to steady himself against the floor.

"Yuki-kun?" Tooru sounded plaintive, confused and lost. She crouched beside him.

Yuki started at her blankly wondering how to explain all of this. His own mind hadn't quite caught up to the events. His embarrassing physical reaction, his panic attack, and Kyou's reaction to the cause... he didn't know how to explain any of it. His world had shifted out of shape, the world that had been round all his life was suddenly a triangle and he was at a loss to how to reconcile it.

There had been very few constants in his life before he met Tooru. He was a Souma, he hated and was hated by the cat and he would always be alone. Just those three things, his birthright, his hatred and the only thing he could depend on... himself. But now all of those things were gone. He wasn't a Souma anymore. He didn't hate the Cat, he didn't know what he felt for him... but it wasn't hate and hadn't been for a long time. He had no idea what the Cat thought of him, but Kyou's heavy handed concern didn't _feel _like hate. They'd agreed to be together, the three of them, but at the moment Yuki felt more alone than ever. Now that he'd had a taste of belonging he didn't want to do anything to destroy it.

He liked those mornings when they woke up all wound together and warm. He liked knowing there were people who worried for him and depended on him. He liked the feeling when Tooru and Kyou looked at him like he could do anything. Like now, Tooru was looking at him as if one sentence from him could fix everything.

He felt a bubble of laughter start somewhere in his stomach. If he let it out he might quickly become hysterical. He covered his eyes with a hand, he was starting to tear up too. Could he get more pathetic? "I'm sorry, I'm a mess this morning," he said. "I've caused all sorts of problems for Honda-san." He sighed, swallowing the last of his urge to laugh in hiccup. "I've become so unreliable."

He started when he felt her arms encircle his shoulders. She laid her hands lightly around his neck and rested her cheek against the top of his head. "It's okay for Yuki-kun to be that way. He's been so strong for us for so long." He shivered as she played with the ends of his hair and massaged the back of his neck. "I want Yuki-kun to know he can lean on me when he needs to."

He leaned forward, resting his forehead on her shoulder. Eyes closed and nestled against her skin he rested his hands lightly on her hips, taking her up on her offer literally. He was ashamed, on so many levels.

"Yuki-kun once told me," Tooru said after a moment, "that I can do things slowly and at my own pace. That is true for Yuki-kun too," she insisted. He felt her nuzzle into his hair and shivered at the sensation of her breath against his scalp. "I want to be closer to Yuki," she whispered, leaving off the honorific to be sure he understood what she meant. "That's why I want him to be able to talk to me, to explain what made him uncomfortable." She felt him shift under her, his muscles tensing to draw back. "But I'll wait for Yuki-kun to do that in his own time."

Yuki relaxed again, and let himself be comforted. He still didn't know how he was going to face Kyou, but he wasn't feeling the need to flee. He gave a dry chuckle. "When do you think he'll realize he doesn't have any shoes?"

"Kyou-kun is in his pajamas too!" Tooru said raising her head.

"Baka Neko," Yuki said softly, closed his eyes and leaned into her neck.

::0::0::

The rest of the day was an interesting dance as Kyou and Yuki strove not to be within five feet of each other. Kyou had returned red-faced to the room to inform them that breakfast would start in an hour. They wondered who he'd spoken to in his red-striped old man pajamas, but he didn't elaborate. Yuki retreated to the side room to dress while Kyou and Tooru folded up the futon. When Tooru took her turn dressing in the side room, Yuki went downstairs to ask Urishima about painting supplies.

He returned with the key to the supply closet and the three of them went down to breakfast. The boys were careful to keep Tooru in between them like a buffer and didn't speak to each other, even to tease or argue.

They met up with Morikawa again at breakfast and she offered to take Tooru and Yuki to school the next morning to arrange things for their entry and order uniforms. Tooru gushed over the school uniform, a stately sailor uniform with a white blouse, black collar, gray skirt and scarf.

"Do they allow you to shorten the hem?" Tooru asked, leaning forward to peer over the table at Morikawa's skirt. The RA wore it at it's standard length of about two inches past the knee.

"Yes, or lengthen it." Morikawa nodded.

"But it can't go above the knee. You can get demerits for that, too many demerits and you get detention or worse." One of the other Akane's piped up, "Lots of us roll it, that way if the teacher's come around looking you can just let it down."

"Only to the knees?" Tooru repeated, sounding disappointed.

"You wouldn't want it shorter than that, would you?" Kyou asked. Tooru blinked at him, surprised he'd spoken. It was the first thing he'd said since they'd gotten there.

"I think shorter skirts are cuter," Abe said, dropping his books on the table behind them and joining the conversation as if he'd always been there.

"Me too!" Tooru said turning to smile at him. She looked back at Kyou. "My skirt back home was above my knee." She mimed where it fell. "I like them this length."

"Whoo-hoo!" Abe cheered. "Short skirts for everyone, I say!"

"No way!" Kyou said ignoring him. "You aren't wearing it that short!" He wasn't letting her prance around school showing off her legs to every guy in school. Not when he couldn't be there to watch over her. She was way too oblivious. She frowned and looked like she was thinking up an argument. Kyou unconsciously looked over her head at Yuki for support.

"You wouldn't want to get in trouble in a new school over something so minor," Yuki said catching the hint, and agreeing. He glanced at Kyou, a slight flicker of his eyes indicating he had the Rat's support. "And didn't you mention we might be able to sell it back at the end of the year? Would they take it if it had been altered?"

Tooru sighed. "That's true."

"Phhpt!" Abe waved a hand. "Killjoys."

One of the other boy's dropped his tray off at the garbage and gave Abe a knowing glance. "You just want to see more girls in short skirts."

"Of course I do!" Abe agreed. "Who wouldn't? Especially when they're as cute as Sato-san." He grinned at Tooru. As one Yuki and Kyou turned to glare at Abe. He raised his hands. "On that note, I think it's time for us to go...isn't it?"

Morikawa looked at her watch. "Yeah, we've got morning duty so we've got to get there early. See you later Tooru-san!" She gave Tooru a bright smile as she stood. She glanced at Kyou and said nervously, "I'll...um... stop by later with the key to the storage room and introduce you to Peter so we can get you your table and desk."

"Uh, sure," Kyou said, taking his death glare off of Abe. "Thank you," he added belatedly.

Morikawa seemed surprised at the courtesy and gave a hesitant smile. "You're welcome."

"We appreciate your time," Yuki added and gave her one of his patented "Prince Yuki" smiles. She blushed and nearly walked into the trash can instead of dumping her tray like she intended.

"Ah!" He stood up and held up a hand to steady her. "Are you alright?"

"Yes. I'm fine!" She said, blushing even brighter. "Abe, let's go!"

"Yes ma'am," Abe said genially. He waved bye to the others and responded to a smattering of comments from the other students.

"I don't like that guy," Kyou muttered, finishing up his breakfast.

"Mmm." Yuki nodded. "There's something-" He glanced at Kyou and then seemed to realize who he was talking to. "Uh." He trailed off, unintelligibly.

Kyou's ears started to turn red. "I'm done." He held his hand out for Tooru's tray. "You're done too, right?"

"Oh, yes," Tooru said. She flinched as he grabbed it and left to use the trash can on the other side of the small dining hall instead of the one just behind Yuki. Tooru glanced at Yuki to find him staring at his plate.

"Yuki-kun?" She asked.

He jumped. "What? Oh." He gave a strained smile. He stood and dumped his tray. "I'm done. Let's go get started on the painting. Do you know what we do first?" He asked Tooru, ignoring Kyou as they walked up to him where he waited by the door.

Tooru started to shake her head, but Kyou spoke up, talking to her as if she'd asked the question. "We need to put the tarps down. And put tape around the windowsills and door frames." He paused, thinking. "We should plaster up the cracks and sand too... that might be a while before we can actually paint."

She smiled at Kyou as they followed him to the supply room to get the tarps. "It's a good thing the apartment is so small!"

"That's one way to look at it." Yuki said.

::0::0::

They spent the day preparing the room for paint. Kyou had learned a lot working on Enoki's crew back on the mountain. He taught them how to repair the cracks with plaster and tape up the room. Or rather, he taught Tooru and ignored the fact that Yuki was there to listen. The silence between them was oppressive. Tooru tried to make some conversation, but nothing took root. It was hard to talk when two of the people in the room refused to acknowledge the other's existence. They didn't even break for lunch, just snacking on the jam and biscuits they'd been gifted with.

When Morikawa showed up that afternoon with the storage room key Tooru jumped at the opportunity to talk with someone friendly.

"Thank you so much!" Tooru gushed. "Oh, but we decided not to bring in the furniture until after we paint. Can we keep this until then?"

"Urishima likes to keep tabs on it, so I'll have to bring it back to her," the girl said, not without sympathy. "But it's easy enough to get again. I think it's smart to wait. She'd absolutely try to charge you a fee if you got a drop of paint on the desk or table."

"And since we're new at this, we might." Tooru knocked against her head. "Especially me. I'm a bit clumsy."

"A bit?" Kyou said passing behind her and into the side room to start plastering in there. There hadn't seemed like there were so many cracks when they started, but the closer they looked the more they found.

"Eheheheh..." Tooru laughed weakly. "Maybe more than a bit."

"Well, it looks like you're just about done with the repairs without too many problems." Morikawa adjusted her glasses and peered at a plastered crack with a small smile. "Will you start painting tonight?"

"Maybe-" Tooru started.

"The plaster has to dry 24 hours," Kyou said from the other room.

"Oh," Tooru said disappointed. They were almost finished plastering. Was she going to have to spend the rest of the afternoon with two silent & sullen boys? What were they going to do for the rest of the night?

"So you're free now?" Morikawa asked, clapping her hands. "Why don't I show you the neighborhood? I have to go buy some notebooks, and a few other things. I could give you a little tour."

"I'd like that," Tooru said with a smile. She was still convinced she'd done _something_ this morning to make Kyou and Yuki shut down so completely. She needed some space to try to think about it. She'd never thought she'd miss working in Mai's restaurant.

"Oi." Kyou poked his head out of the side room and motioned for Tooru to come over.

"Just a moment, Morikawa-san," Tooru said and took the three steps it took to cross the room. "Kyou-kun?"

"Take the Rat with you," Kyou said softly. "He shouldn't be bending and stretching to get these cracks."

"Ah, yes..." Tooru said, glancing towards the bathroom where Yuki was getting cleaned up. She thought it was cute how fussy Yuki could be while they were working. Every time he got plaster on his hands he had to go wash it off. "That's a good idea." She looked up at Kyou. "Does Kyou-kun want to come?"

"Hell no!" Kyou said loudly. "Like I'd want to go shopping!"

"Shopping?" Yuki said, emerging from the bathroom. "Morikawa-san," he said nodding to her. "Hello."

"I was going to take Tooru-san on a tour of the neighborhood," Morikawa said. She blushed a little and stammered, "W-would you like to come Sato-san?"

Yuki shot Kyou a panicked look. If Tooru left with the RA he'd be left alone with the Cat!

"I'll come!" He said quickly. "W-we have to get those curtains tonight if we don't want to be blinded again tomorrow morning, don't we?"

Tooru wondered if it would have better to leave them together. Maybe then they would talk about whatever had bothered them this morning. She sighed. That was a bad idea. She probably would have returned to find holes in the plaster from their fighting. She gave herself a mental slap. That was uncharitable, they didn't throw punches at each other anymore. She gave a forced smile. "Let us get cleaned up." She looked down at her plaster splattered shirt.

"No problem," Morikawa said and walked back towards the door. "I'll go give Urishima the key back and tell Peter we won't need his help today. I'll meet you by the front entrance."

"I'll change first," Yuki said, darting in and out of the side room to grab up some presentable clothes. He didn't want to be left alone with Kyou while he changed. He ducked back into the bathroom.

"I'll wait out here so you can change," Kyou said to Tooru and started to leave the side room to her. He tried to fight off his irritation. He was the one who suggested that Yuki go with Tooru, but at the same time... The Rat and her were going to be paired up enough as it was.

"Kyou-kun." Tooru stopped him at the entrance of the side room, tugging on his arm.

"What?" He looked down at her, trying not to look upset.

She stood on her tiptoes and pressed a quick kiss to the edge of his mouth. "Thank you for caring about Yuki-kun even when you're fighting."

"Don't get the wrong idea!" Kyou said, his face flaming. "I don't care about that guy at all! I just want him out of here!"

"The feeling is mutual Baka Neko," Yuki said coldly, having just stepped out of the bathroom. "Honda-san, I'll meet you outside."

::0::0::

"Look! Isn't it cute?"

Yuki jumped and took a step back, his eyes crossing as he tried to focus on the object Tooru thrust in his face. "A-ah..." he stammered. "What is it?"

"A budget book." Tooru flipped it open and turned to show the pages with it's tidy columns and rows, just waiting for facts and figures. "We need one of these." She closed it and looked at the price. "We should start filling one out right away, so we know where we stand with rent and everything. Mmm, this one costs more than the plain one... But only a little more! What does Yuki-kun think, should we get it?"

"Get what?" Yuki asked distractedly. He fiddled with a desk set on the top shelf.

"It's not important," Tooru said with a forced smile. It was getting increasingly hard to smile. She'd never seen Yuki this distant and closed off. She dropped the fancy budget book back on the shelf and picked up the plain one. _At least this one doesn't have a pig on it like one Mother and I had_, she thought. She sighed and looked at the list Yuki had written up. She might as well be shopping alone.

They had their notebooks, pencils, pens, and the rest of the school basics. Now they just had to wait for Morikawa to finish picking out her art supplies. Tooru glanced over in the direction of the fancy art markers. Morikawa seemed to be studiously uncapping each of the thousand or so shades and taking a swipe across the test pad. They might be here for a while, as the girl was only up to the Orange shades in the rainbow selection of pens.

Tooru was about to make a comment on how amusing Morikawa's concentration was, but the words died in her throat. Yuki was staring off into space, frowning. It was like he wasn't even present in the same store. She tugged his sleeve. "Yuki-kun," She said trying to sound cheerful and enthusiastic. "Let's look at the stationary, we should send Mai-san and Ginta-san a note."

"Yes, okay," Yuki agreed, glancing over but not looking at her. "Well," he hemmed, picking up and paging through the budget book she'd put back on the shelf, "why doesn't Honda-san just pick out something she likes?"

"Yuki-kun," Tooru said sharply.

He started and looked down at her, really looking at her. "Yes?"

She glanced at Morikawa, just barely out of hearing range and still absorbed in the markers. "My name isn't Honda anymore," she said softly. She looked at her feet. She'd never expected this to be so hard.

"Right. Yes." Yuki scratched at his ear. "Sorry."

Tooru looked up at him, searching his face. "When Yuki-kun does that..." she said hesitantly, "it feels like he's holding me at arm's length."

"I... ah-"

"Are you guys ready?" Morikawa said cheerfully. "I've got my markers!"

"What? Oh. Yes?" Yuki looked down at Tooru. "Y-you've picked up everything we needed, right?"

"Yes," Tooru said. "We just need to check out." She would just use some of her notebook paper to write Mai. "Morikawa-san is ready?"

Morikawa nodded. "I got the shades I needed." She inclined her head towards the register. "Let's check out and then we'll go by the housewares store." She grinned. "Since you don't have anything, I bet you need to buy a lot! It will be fun to shop."

"We're just going to start with the necessities," Yuki said smiling princely as he took Tooru's basket and lead the way to the register. "I think for sure we need curtains, and perhaps a set of dishware... or at least glasses." He smiled down at Tooru. "What do you think?"

Tooru blinked at him. It was like the Yuki she'd first met years ago had suddenly appeared before her. The distant and untouchable prince completely replaced her sweet, caring Yuki.

"Tooru-san?" Morikawa waved a hand in front of Tooru's face, the eyes behind her glasses concerned.

"Oh, yes," Tooru said shaking her head, not sure why she was so disturbed. Yuki often retreated into his princely shell when dealing with others. She just didn't like that look directed at her. "Um, until we finish painting...I think we'll wait on the other things." She waved a hand. "Sorry, I think this morning tired me out more than I realized and I got a little spacey." She hurried to catch up with Yuki. He hadn't even noticed her distraction.

"Okay," Morikawa said uncertainly, following her at a a slower pace. "Do you still want to shop?"

"Yes!" Tooru said. "That way we can pick out what we want for when we're ready." She was not ready to go back to that tiny apartment. She didn't know how she'd bear it if they stayed this way. She pasted a smile on. "But we definitely have to get curtains today. The sunlight is very bright in the mornings."

"Yeah," Morikawa laughed, and paid the checkout girl when Yuki was done. "I'm just down the hall from you guys so some of the trees block my window, but even still, it's really bright."

"It really shocked us this morning," Tooru agreed as they left the store. She glanced at Yuki as he held the door open."We were up early."

Morikawa blushed. "Yeah, I heard."

"Eh?" Tooru froze and almost got bowled over by Yuki. He barely caught himself, clutching her shoulders to keep from running into her. He shared a horrified glance with her before turning to stare at the blushing RA.

"I told you, I'm just down the hall... three doors down. And...uh...the walls are thin, your window was wide open..." Morikawa adjusted her glasses nervously. "And, um, Kyou-san isn't very... uh... soft-spoken."

"D-did we wake you?" Tooru whispered. In her mind, she reviewed their conversation to try and figure out what the girl might have heard.

"We apologize," Yuki said woodenly, attempting to remember where the voices had gotten raised during the incident this morning.

"Oh, no, no!" Morikawa waved a hand. "I just thought I should tell you, because, um... sound can really carry in the building. And everyone is bound to be nosy because you're new."

"Thank you," Tooru said, her face beet red. How much sound carried? While there was no reason to think that anyone heard her kissing Kyou, just the suggestion opened up a million questions. They'd slept right in front of the window... all together in a clump. What if someone had _seen_?

"Um...er..." Yuki's face was ashen. "What exactly...." He started to ask, then stopped. What had he even said this morning? What could she know? What could she infer from what Kyou had yelled?

"Exactly?" Morikawa repeated. "Oh, no! I wasn't listening or anything. I just heard raised voices." She shook her head and pushed up her glasses earnestly. "I'm sorry, please don't worry about it." She grinned. "I thought it was funny really... the same thing happened to Peter, but he forgot all his Japanese and was swearing in English. He was much louder." She covered her mouth. "Oh, I suppose I should have warned you, but I didn't think of it."

"No, no," Yuki said, having regained some of his composure but still white-faced. "It's the kind of thing that's easy to forget." Tooru hadn't, he thought, but didn't feel like bringing that up.

"So, curtains," Morikawa said, pumping a fist. "Bargain Fuji is a good place to look for things like that." She gestured for them to follow. "It's just around the corner." She started down the street.

Tooru glanced up at Yuki. He was still pale and he looked shaken. She took his hand and tried to hide her frown when he flinched. "It's okay," she said. "We'll just be more careful."

He nodded and squeezed her hand. But despite the fact that he didn't drop her hand as they followed Morikawa, Tooru still felt like he was miles away and drifting further away with every step.

::0::0::

It was quiet.

The silence pushing in on him now reminded him of the Cat's room. He'd only seen it once, he'd stood just past the threshold when Akito felt like rubbing his future in his face. The walls there were thick and stifling, and no light manged to find it's way in. The little side room had that same feeling now that he was all alone. He started to regret not going shopping with the others.

Someday, Kyou thought, it will be like this all the time. After Yuki and Tooru graduated and they didn't need him any more he'd have to get a place of his own. He couldn't hang around them forever. His heart clenched at the thought, and his hand tightened on the spackling knife.

He didn't want to give Tooru up. Not now, not when he knew it could be so good. He scraped some more plaster over the cracks his mind on the future when he'd have his own dingy place to fix up. Working some stupid job, coming home every night to an empty place, alone all the time. He leaned his head against the wall between patches of plaster.

"Why the hell did I even leave?" He groaned.

His body quickly supplied him with a long list. There was Tooru's golden skin in the hot spring and the wonderful way it felt when she nestled into his back and pressed against him. Then there was her smooth stomach when her shirt tucked up while she slept, that was a good reason right there. Another good reason was the way she looked at him when he did something right, like he was the best person in the world.

And of course, the kissing. If he hadn't left he never would have gotten to do that at all, ever. He lifted his head and got back to work. He supposed, even if this was his future, that it was worth it to have run away. All the hardship on the mountain, the fear, work and everything that came after was all worth it because he got to be closer to her. Even if it was just temporary.

He frowned, his hand stilling. And of course, it wasn't over yet. If this morning was any way to judge they had a while to go yet. The future might be inevitable, but the present still had a lot of possibilities. He felt his cheeks heat. Who knew where they might go in the next couple of months? Who knew where they might have gone _today_ if the Rat hadn't freaked out like that.

The Rat.

Kyou didn't know what to make of him, or what to do with his reaction this morning.

All I did was brush his fingers, Kyou thought irritably. He gave the plaster a bit too hard of a scrape and took off the top layer of paint next to the patch as well. He grimaced and reapplied the plaster.

Yuki was so damn confusing. The guy had saved both him and Tooru up on the mountain. _After running like an idiot through the storm to get there... _And back in the village Yuki had pestered him about going to school, acting like he actually cared about him. And bugged him into making up with Tooru when they fought, even though he'd probably done that to help Tooru and not him.

_Damn Rat doesn't know how to take care of himself either, _Kyou thought. He was always putting on a tough face, acting big and special. He was always pressing himself too hard, and taking on too much. And he was as bad as Tooru about keeping it to himself. _Didn't even know he was having trouble with finding an apartment until he blew up about it._ Kyou sighed.

It was disturbing to see Yuki so weak. This was the guy he'd spent most of his life trying to beat just once, and now he got taken down by a set of bed linens.

_I could take him down now_, Kyou thought. _I __**did **__when he suggested going back to the honke_. One punch and he was on the ground. The thought gave him no satisfaction. The Rat was supposed to be _smart._ Kyou still couldn't believe he'd even suggested going back home alone. _Idiot._ Kyou knew he could never have done that. All he'd been thinking of was escaping. The Rat had even assured him that he'd never have to go back.

"Augh!" He said out loud. "Why do I have to think about that guy! I hate him!" Kyou scraped up some plaster and then frowned, looking around. He didn't see any cracks left. All that was left was the sound of his own breathing in his ears.

"This is stupid," he muttered, just to make some noise. He stomped out of the side room and into the main part of the apartment.

It had warmed up. They'd closed the big sliding door of the balcony the need for warmth outweighing the need to escape the smell of the cigarettes and plaster. Kyou looked around and sighed. The apartment that had seemed so small now seemed huge when it was just him alone.

"Damn Rat," Kyou cursed softly, and started picking up their supplies and materials from around the room. If the stupid Nezumi hadn't gotten all freaked out then Kyou could have gone shopping with them. _He touched me first!_ Where did he get off freaking out about a little nudge of the fingers when he'd been the first one to grab at his hand?

Kyou paused, halfway to the bathroom to clean up the knives and trays. _Not that I wanted him to touch me,_ he thought to himself firmly. It was just that everything felt so good while he kissed Tooru. Her skin was so warm and soft, her mouth so hot. She made those noises.... and the way she tasted! His skin tingled just thinking about it.

His mind broke down and he lost himself in remembering all the sensations of their kiss. He swallowed fitfully and shook himself out of it. _Anyway_, he thought to himself, walking briskly to the bathroom, _I didn't know it was him, was all._ It wasn't like he wanted to cuddle up to the Rat at night.

He marched across to the bathroom to clean off their tools. The rattling of the spackling knives and water helped to alleviate the silence some and gave him something to focus on. He decided to clean the bathroom again when he was done, having made a mess with the plaster.

Tooru had been right about keeping the bathroom clean. It was only late afternoon and Kyou was already dreaming about taking a bath. And after a bath would come bed... Tooru snuggled up to him and...

Kyou felt his face warm. "Stop thinking about that kiss," he said out loud. But it had been a great kiss. He finished wiping down the sink and paused to splash some cold water on his face. He'd never had this much trouble keeping a clean mind about her. But it was like a switch had been flipped since their early morning kiss at the hotel yesterday.

He couldn't stop swinging between the horror and sadness over the situation back home and just wanting to get his hands on Tooru one more time.

He decided to take a bath now, more or less because it was the sole option besides staring at the wall and watching the plaster dry. Besides which, he was sweaty and dirty.

"It's like boiling in a pot," Kyou mumbled, folding himself into the small circular tub after a quick cold shower. No wonder the Rat didn't bother to soak. It probably aggravated his back just to sit in here. Kyou pushed wet hair out of his eyes. "Stop thinking about that guy!" He commanded himself. "I don't care about him!" Tooru was wrong about that. He only cared about the Rat because she worried about him. And he kinda owed him... for the storm and all. That was it!

Kyou sank into the water until his nose just barely skimmed the surface. He supposed he didn't really want to beat him any more though. That'd only been because of the room... and he'd been such a stuck up jerk. Yuki always acted like he was some goddamn gift to the world. Always perfect, always the smartest, always the strongest....Who wouldn't want to knock a guy like that down?

He wasn't so perfect now. And he wasn't seeming so smart. He definitely wasn't the strongest. More and more Kyou was realizing that Yuki was just a guy.

_I don't care_, Kyou told himself. "I don't," he said out loud.

::0::0::

"Baka Neko," Yuki muttered. "He doesn't even have the futon out or a blanket. And his hair is wet!"

Tooru peered around him into the apartment. Kyou was sprawled out on the floor in front of the window, eyes closed and boneless. "Oh!" Tooru frowned. "He's going to catch a cold doing that!"

"He's sleeping?" Morikawa said from the threshold of the apartment. "I won't come in then. Should I come by at dinner time? We can walk down to the cafeteria together." She looked down at her hands. "Oh, and here, your stuff."

"Yes, please," Tooru said taking the bags from her. They'd ended up buying more than they'd intended. Besides their school supplies, they'd picked up a cute set of dishes, a set of teacups, a rice cooker and an electric teapot. Tooru only allowed Yuki to carry the curtains, and even those she was worried were too heavy. Morikawa's help carrying everything home had been invaluable. They'd even stopped by the local grocery and purchased a small bags of rice and tea. (Which lead to buying canisters to keep them in... and some plums and bonito to flavor the rice with...) She sighed and took them into the side room. Kyou was going to scold them.

"Thank you for help, Morikawa-san." Yuki said, smiling sincerely. "I'm sorry we had to make you carry so much." Morikawa had carried the dishes and rice cooker, two of the heavier items. She was a bit tall for a girl, and took them from Tooru when her shorter arms made it hard to grip the heavy boxes.

Morikawa's cheeks heated scarlet. "Oh, uh, no, no, it's not a problem." She waved a hand quickly. "Really!" _He's so pretty when he smiles,_ she thought, _like a storybook prince or an shoujo manga hero! I can practically see the sparkles floating around him._

"Morikawa-san?" Tooru said peeking around Yuki. "Did you want some tea before you left? I just have to rinse out the new cups and teapot."

"Oh, no, no....I don't want to impose!" Morikawa said startled out of her staring. "I'll see you later!" She spun on her heel and escaped from the apartment.

Yuki's smile dropped out of existence as he shut the door. "Why don't I wash out the cups?" He offered. He cocked his head, and his lips twitched up a smidge. "If you still want to make tea?"

"Yes, let me just rinse and fill the pot," Tooru said. Now that Morikawa was gone, Yuki seemed more at ease. She glanced at Kyou, still passed out on the floor in a pool of sunlight. "He's really fast asleep!" She gave a small, tired smile of her own. She was reminded of how he'd nap in the sun at Shigure's house, right in the middle of the living room.

Yuki glanced down at the cat. It was unusual for him to sleep this deeply. Normally just their walking around or talking would wake him. Tooru bustled past him with the teapot, disappearing into the bathroom. Yuki went into the side room and unpacked two cups and waited outside the bathroom for his turn. He wasn't looking forward to unpacking their purchases. With no furniture there really wasn't anywhere to put it other then to line the walls with it. They'd put a little refrigerator on hold at one of the stores, placing a deposit for them to keep it until they were finished with painting. The apartment already felt claustrophobicly tight, how much tinier would it feel once they'd filled it with possessions?

"I'm done," Tooru said, walking past him with the teapot. She plugged it in on the wall opposite from the balcony door. She didn't want it to wake Kyou when it started to whistle. Though at just a few feet away she didn't know if it would do any good. A cold breeze whispered across the floor and she frowned.

She padded into the side room and pulled out a blanket. She tiptoed up to Kyou and knelt down, tossing the blanket over him. The last thing they needed was for any of them to come down with a cold. She leaned over him and tucked the blanket around on the side facing the balcony door to keep out the draft.

"Tsk," she sighed and brushed damp bangs off his forehead, "his hair _is_ wet." She glanced down at his face and froze when drowsy crimson eyes stared back at her. "Oh-"

"Hey you," he said sleepily, lifting a hand to comb through her hair.

"We're back," Tooru said rhetorically, caught up in his sleepy gaze.

"C'mere," he said tugging lightly on her hair to pull her towards him. She followed his lead and bent closer. He shifted his hand up to the crown of her head pulling her down and kissing her. Tooru gasped, surprised at his boldness, and he deepened the kiss. Her eyes fluttered and she responded in kind, her hands fisting in the blanket she'd covered him with. His hand slipped down, combing through her hair as she drew back. "Welcome home," he said.

Yuki looked on from the bathroom doorway holding two dripping cups. How could Kyou do that? How could he just touch her that way? As if feeling his eyes on her Tooru glanced over and met his eyes. She seemed as surprised as he was.

"Oh! R-right," she said, "T-tea." She got up quickly and took the cups from him, glancing over her shoulder at Kyou. He was watching her like a cat stalking a canary. "Um... Um... d-does Kyo-kun want some?"

"Yeah," he said sitting up and not taking his eyes off her.

Tooru looked at her hands. "T-then I'll n-need another cup, oh, and, um t-the tea..."

Kyou watched her as she crossed the room back into the side room for the tea. He glanced at Yuki. "You just gonna stand there?"

"Ah..." Yuki started and was upset to feel his cheeks heat up. He shifted from foot to foot. Now he felt dumb for standing in the bathroom door, but there really wasn't anywhere for him to go. It wasn't as if there was a table to sit at or a bedroom to escape to.

Tooru practically ran across the room to the bathroom with Kyou's cup in one hand and a bag of tea in the other. She gave Yuki a quizzical glance as she brushed past him to wash Kyou's cup. Yuki couldn't tell if she was wondering why he was still standing there or silently asking if he understood why Kyou was acting so strange.

Kyou watched them trade glances as Tooru washed out the new teacup and then took all three from Yuki to make the tea. He'd had a lot of time to think while they were out shopping. He didn't know what was up with the damn Rat.

He didn't care either (_he didn't!_), except that it freaked Tooru out when the Rat got all weird. Once they started school it was all going to go to crap anyways. But while he could, he'd take advantage. He'd never pretended to be generous. He'd steal every kiss he could, every touch. He'd store them all up for the day when he didn't have her anymore. The Rat would just have to learn to deal with it.

Feeling the Rat's eyes on him, Kyou looked away from Tooru's figure hunched over the teapot. Yuki was still shifting from foot to foot in front of the bathroom.

"D'jda get the curtains?" Kyou asked keeping his voice and tone level. He wasn't going to fight with the Rat anymore. At least, he was going to try. He wanted this last bit of time he had with Tooru to be happy.

"Eh?" Yuki started, surprised to be addressed directly. "Er... yes..."

"We should put 'em up... " Kyou looked at the balcony, "though we'll just have to take 'em down again before we paint."

Tooru handed him a teacup and shivered when his fingers brushed against hers in a strangely deliberate gesture. She drew back, shocked and a little uncomfortable. She blurted out the first thing that came to mind as a distraction. "Morikawa-san heard us this morning."

Kyou choked on his tea. "She heard _what?_"

Moving to slide the balcony door shut, Yuki gave Kyou a dirty look. "Just you being loud, as usual." He glanced out the window. He'd been trying to remember what the window faced, trying to picture who might have been able to see in. Thankfully the way they were angled and being one of the last apartments on the floor made it nearly impossible to see inside. They had that to be thankful for.

"The walls are thin, and the window was open..." Yuki shrugged. "And you were very loud when the sun came up."

"Did... what... I mean... was there-" Kyou stammered.

"I don't think there was anything else to hear," Tooru said walking over to Yuki and handing him a teacup. She glanced over at Kyou and blushed.

"Nothing else was really...um... noisy." She looked into her own tea. "Well, Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun did argue a little..."

She glanced at Yuki and frowned. Just mentioning the argument or what ever had happened between the boys caused him to completely retreat inside himself. He wasn't looking at either of them and his face was blank and distracted. It seemed that she could never reach him when he was really hurting or needed help. She couldn't figure out how to express that without making him completely avoid her.

"We'll just have to be careful what we say," Kyou said finally.

Yuki cleared his throat. "Tomorrow-" he said desperately, needing to change the subject before they strayed into dangerous territory, "we're going to go with Morikawa-san to the school when she leaves in the morning."

"I'll get started painting," Kyou said turning slightly so that he wasn't facing the Rat. "I should be able to at least get the primer on."

Tooru bit her lip and shifted.

"You could still come with us."

She looked up at Yuki in shock, amazed he'd spoken what had been running through her head.

Yuki flipped his hair out of his eyes. "If you wanted to come back to school, I mean." He felt wooden. It wasn't that he wanted the Cat around, but it was just practical. A couple of months in school and they could both earn a lot more then what they could now. And it was so hard to go back later if he changed his mind. "Technically they are expecting three of us."

Kyou blinked at him then glanced at Tooru. She held her cup in a white knuckled grip. He looked at the floor quickly. If she looked at him with those big eyes he wouldn't be able to to say what he had to. "No," he said flatly. "We talked about this already. Quit bringing it up already."

"But-" Tooru started.

"Now that I think of it, it's probably be a good idea to make sure the plaster is completely dry," Kyou said quickly. "Maybe I'll spend the morning looking for a job while you guys are gone."

"Then we can all help paint," Tooru said resignedly, slumping into a seat next to Kyou. She leaned against his shoulder. "But I'm sad that Kyou-kun won't be going to school with us."

"It ain't like I'm not going to see you every day anyway," Kyou said. He wondered if regular guys got this nervous when a girl just leaned her head on their shoulder? He felt like his skin had become super sensitive.

Tooru looked up and patted the seat next to her. Yuki obediently sat on her other side, grateful for the direction. She straightened so that she wasn't resting her full weight against Kyou, but still leaned against him. Just their nearness did a lot to melt the tension that was making her shoulder and neck ache. She felt a twinge of guilt when she saw how studiously they were ignoring each other. She knew that just being this close was making them as uncomfortable as it was making her comfortable. She sighed.

Nothing ever ended up the way she thought it would. She'd thought that once they had their own place that things would be easier. Everything had been falling into place. They had a home of their own, they were going back to school and had plans for the future...even if they were limited. This was when they were supposed to be getting closer, not pushing each other away. And she didn't know how to fix it!

::0::0::

Tooru opened the door to their apartment and bid Morikawa, who was stepping into her apartment two doors down, a good night. The boys followed silently after. They'd stayed downstairs in the cafeteria sitting room for hours past the close of the kitchen. While not the most comfortable or attractive room, the large windowless basement cafeteria seemed to be the designated hang out spot for students living in the dorm and apartments. Many students lounged around before and after dinner doing homework in groups and socializing. Morikawa had gotten them down to dinner early enough to meet the rest of the dorm residents, and they'd stayed late to get acquainted.

Now back home the boys stood at opposites sides of the room, Kyou looking out the balcony window and Yuki leaned against the wall near the side room staring at his feet. The closer it had gotten to leaving for their own apartment, the quieter and tenser they'd gotten. She could see how exhausted they both were. In the past few days they'd all gotten shorted on sleep, and despite going to bed early last night the early morning sun had woken them up long before they'd been ready. The day had been long and active, they'd all been so desperate to avoid talking that they'd thrown themselves into working.

"We-" She began and stopped when the boys jumped. She licked her lips and tried again, "We should hang the curtains and then get the futon out."

There was a brief silence as the boys considered the empty bar above the sliding door.

"Yeah," Kyou said finally when it became obvious she was looking for a response.

Tooru hadn't realized until now how much the boys had begun to connect and work together. They'd always bickered and fought, but she'd always felt they were working towards the same goal. They were a united base she could depend on. Now they were so busy not looking at each other and not talking that they couldn't even seem to do a simple task.

"I'll get them out," Tooru said finally, trying not to let her frustration show. She started to feel a niggle of fear. They'd fought and recovered before, but the incident this morning was different. It hadn't been a _fight_ exactly... What if they didn't make up this time?

Yuki looked away from the bar and quickly spoke up. "I'll get them!" he said and disappeared into the side room. He reappeared with the curtains and handed them to Tooru. She looked at Kyou and he took the bar off and helped her feed them onto it.

Kyou put the bar back on the track, but the curtains were bunched up all at one end. It her took a couple failed jumps to reach the bar before Yuki worked up the courage to approach Kyou enough to help sort them out in her place.

Tooru watched the boys silently work together to get the curtains hung. Freshly unfolded from the package the cheap yellow curtains were a wrinkled mess. "I need to get an iron," she mused. The silence was weighing on her and she spoke just to make some noise. Usually the boys squabbled through these kinds of tasks. She'd gotten used to the background noise.

Kyou looked over his shoulder at her as he smoothed a panel down his half of the curtain rod. "We're just going to take them down once we start painting."

"I know." Tooru nodded. "It just reminded me. We'll need a little ironing board too."

Kyou grunted, "It's always one more thing-"

Yuki ignored the conversation and concentrated on smoothing out his half of the curtains. His back and shoulder were killing him. He was certain he pulled it a bit this morning, getting up so roughly, and strained it further carrying the little he'd brought back from their shopping trip. Now this stretching and reaching to get the curtain on was making it burn and hurt.

He knew he should stop, but it was such an easy task he was too ashamed to admit it might be beyond him. He grimaced and tried to ignore the sweat popping on his brow, knowing he'd have to duck into the bathroom to recover before the others saw. He was focused on plotting his escape when Kyou's fingers brushed his as they met in the middle of the bar.

"Augh!" Yuki let out an undignified yell, jerked back like he was burned and stumbled backwards. He tripped over his own feet and went down hard, slamming to the ground on his side. His good shoulder took most of the blow, but his head bounced off the floor dazing him.

"Yuki!" Tooru gasped, fell to her knees and scrabbled over the floor to him. He groaned and started to shift.

"Can you get up?" Kyou asked and started to reach for him.

Still disoriented from the fall, Yuki's reaction was automatic and extreme. "Don't _touch_ me!" He brought up an arm to fend him off and squirmed out of reach. "Ow!" He cried as he twisted the wrong way and caused his back to seize. He didn't see the shocked look on Kyou's face or the flash of hurt.

"Lay back," Tooru said pressing on his good shoulder to make him lay flat on the floor. "Be still!" She commanded. She reached up to run her hands through his hair and press at this skull experimentally. "Did you hit your head?" She prodded lightly at a rising goose-egg.

"Just a little," he hissed, rolling his eyes to try to see her face. She sounded too brisk and efficient, unlike her normal easily-excited self. He glanced at Kyou and then flushed and looked away. He'd over-reacted, twice now, to a little brush of the fingers. He tried to take stock of himself, and get his racing heart under control. The fall had scared him more than anything else, he'd only tripped.

"Don't move!" Kyou said, kneeling down quickly on Yuki's other side. His words were concerned, but he sounded more accusatory and angry. "Damn clumsy Rat! Did you hurt yourself?"

Yuki shook his head, groggy and trying to figure it out himself. "I'm-"

"Don't you dare say _'I'm fine!'_" Tooru burst and then bit her lip, hard, to prevent herself from crying.

"I'm..." Yuki glanced at Kyou and he gave Yuki a tentative shrug. Sometimes there was just no right thing to say. He finished hesitantly, "...okay?"

"Yuki-kun should take some medicine and take a bath to relax his back," Tooru said, her mouth a flat line. She stood and held out her hands to him to help him up.

He winced and took her hands, struggling to his feet. "I don't need-" Yuki stuttered to a stop when he looked at Tooru and met only an angry brown stare. "Okay."

"I'll go run the bath," Tooru said flatly, turned on her heel and took two quick angry steps before slamming the bathroom door behind her. They heard water running but she didn't re-emerge.

Yuki and Kyou shared another glance, forgetting their troubles in shock at her reaction.

"You better-" Kyou started.

"Medicine," Yuki agreed and went to rummage in the side room for it. He returned just in time for Tooru to exit. He took a pill quickly, where she could see him and without water. After all the medicines he'd had to take he didn't need it, and he felt it was safer that she could see he was doing as he was told. She didn't say anything as he trotted obediently past her and into the bathroom with his pajamas.

Tooru stood silently in the middle of the room and Kyou looked at her warily. He'd never seen her behave this way and didn't know how to react.

"Um-" he started when the silence extended beyond the bearable limit.

"The futon," Tooru said, talking over his hesitation with the same flat and emotionless voice. "We should pull it out and fix the cover." It was still shoved into the zippered cover slightly sideways from when Kyou had hurriedly set it up on his own.

Kyou actually recoiled from her, taking a step back, before hurrying to pull out the futon. He started when she followed him in, pulling out the bedding that went along with it. She was so quiet, and her movements too quick and short. It looked unnatural on her. She didn't even glance at him.

In the bathroom Yuki sat in the cramped tub and wondered how long he had to sit there before it was safe to come out. The tub wasn't terribly relaxing, and the way it forced him to hunch up was probably bad for his back. But he'd never seen Tooru _like that_ before and didn't know what she would do if he came out earlier than she thought was needed. He decided to give it another five, ten... maybe fifteen minutes.

_Maybe I should wait for her to tell me when to come out,_ he thought.

Tooru was silent while they re-arranged the futon in it's cover. She wordlessly handed Kyou the comforter and they smoothed it over the futon and arranged the pillows.

Glancing at bathroom door he wondered when Yuki would come out. He'd been in there for a long time. Or perhaps it only felt that way because Tooru was being so quiet and angry. He'd never seen her angry before... not like this. Usually if she got mad it was a quick cloudburst that blew over into worry, fear or sadness...what ever the real cause was. She was never just _angry._

Once the futon was made Tooru marched into the side room and got into the old clothes she'd been using as pajamas and slid into her spot.

"You don't want to take a bath?" Kyou asked.

"No," Tooru said, crossing her arms and staring at the ceiling.

Kyou glanced at the bathroom and then went to get into his pajamas.

When Yuki came out, Kyou and Tooru were already in bed. He started to step towards them wondering if they were sleeping already.

"Put a fresh towel over your pillow," Tooru said. "So you don't catch a cold. Your hair is still wet."

"Ah. Un." Yuki obeyed and wondered if he should say something to try to shake her out of this strange dark mood.

He turned out the light before sliding into his spot on the futon, and turned on his side. Usually Tooru slept on her side, facing Kyou. He was used to seeing her back and feeling her hair around him. Instead he could see her profile in the dim light of the window, marred by a deep frown as she stared into the darkness.

Kyou couldn't relax with her stiff as a board behind him. It was too weird. Usually he could feel her breath on his neck. Or if he was facing her, she would tuck herself as close as the curse would allow. Even though he could feel her shoulder brushing his back, the space next to him felt empty and cold.

It felt like they lay there in silence for a very long time. The sound of their breathing in the small room disturbed Kyou, making his skin crawl. Uncomfortable and unable to settle he turned first on to his back, and then on his side facing her. He could see the Rat looking at Tooru. He followed his gaze and could see she was still awake, staring up into the darkness.

"Honda-san."

Kyou jumped when Yuki spoke and felt Tooru flinch.

"When Yuki-kun calls me Honda-san, it feels like he's keeping at arms length," Tooru said, her frustration propelling her to speak honestly.

"I'm sorry..." Yuki's voice was soft. "_Tooru._"

Kyou could feel Tooru shiver at the sound of her name on Yuki's lips.

"T-this morning..." Yuki continued when Tooru didn't respond other then to blink. "This morning you said we shouldn't have secrets from each other. We've... _I've_... done something to upset you. Won't you tell me what it is?"

After a long silence, Tooru finally spoke. Her voice was low, hurt whisper. "Yuki-kun is the one keeping secrets." She took a deep hitching breath, and her next words were choked. "Both Kyou-kun and Yuki-kun keep me at a distance."

"I'm sorry," Yuki said and reached over to touch her on her shoulder. She flinched at the touch but he didn't remove his hand. "I'm just so confused," he confessed. "I've never been this confused before."

Kyou kept silent, not knowing what to say. He was just relieved that Tooru was talking. The silent, angry Tooru unnerved him.

Tooru covered Yuki's hand on her shoulder, then turned to face him. She stared at him in the dark. With her un-cursed eyes she wasn't able to see Yuki as clearly as he could see her. "I know Yuki-kun is still hurting. _Yuki_," she said urgently, leaving off the honorific to show him how important this was, "why do you keep hiding how much you're hurt? Why do you keep pressing yourself?"

"I'm not-"

"_You are!_" Tooru's whisper was harsh. "Just now you did it. And earlier-"

"It's embarrassing!" Yuki burst. "I'm supposed to be a man, I'm supposed to be strong!" He looked down, away from her. "I want to be strong for you. I want to pull my weight."

Tooru sighed. "You're one of the strongest people I know." She moved her hand to brush at his soft hair. "Yuki-kun has taken care of me for such a long time, me and Kyou-kun." She brushed his cheek with the back of her knuckles. "I want to take care of you now while you're healing. Taking time to heal isn't weakness." She dropped her hand back over his and clutched it tight. "You've told me so many times to take things at my own pace, but you keep pressing yourself so hard."

"I know it," Yuki said. "I do," he said at her reproachful look. "It's just embarrassing. I'm not used to being...like this. So... sometimes I don't want to admit it." He gave another sigh. "I'll...I'll try to take it easy."

There was a brief silence as they digested his confession. Tooru fidgeted, tucking herself a bit more under the blanket. She glanced at Yuki knowing that the next question might possibly destroy this tentative truce.

"Will Yuki-kun tell me what I did this morning to bother him?" Her whisper was urgent, but her fingers were gentle and soft as she stroked over his knuckles.

Yuki couldn't help but glance up over her shoulder at Kyou. Wordlessly the other boy turned and stared up at the ceiling as if he wasn't listening. He swallowed, confused and unsettled by the Cat's simple concession to privacy.

Tooru's fingers had woven with his and he gave a shudder. She was clutching him tight. He looked up at her and the blank, angry look was gone. She wore a soft look that broke his heart, because it made him almost think that she really could love him as much as she said.

"I told you," Yuki said haltingly. "It wasn't _you_." He cast a quick look up at Kyou, but said the next words to Tooru. "It wasn't anyone but _me._"

"I don't understand," Tooru said softly. "This morning-"

"This morning, while you and Kyou-" He stopped not knowing how to describe their kiss. Because calling it "kissing" just wasn't descriptive enough. "While you and Kyou-" Kissing wasn't a visceral enough word. It didn't encompass the heat of her skin, or the wet sounds, or the way she shivered. He couldn't get the word out.

"During _it,"_ he said said finally, skipping over it completely, "Kyou's fingers... my fingers..." It had only been a little brush, how did he explain how that twisted his world inside out?

"They _touched,_" Yuki shuddered from the reaction of saying it out loud. "It made me uncomfortable." It was a bigger understatement then calling what they had been doing _kissing_. "I didn't like it." That sentence wasn't accurate either. He knew it, but he'd reached his limit for honesty. He didn't like the thought of there being any other way to describe it. He rejected any other sensation. He whispered, "I was so embarrassed I didn't know what to do."

"Thank you," Tooru said, she turned so she could move forward. She pressed a light kiss to his temple. These simple liberties were things that she cherished, and she took full advantage of the chance to take them. "Thank you, Yuki, thank you." She pressed her forehead to his.

He closed his eyes and reached under the blanket until her found her hip and tugged her closer. He'd really felt like if she knew what happened, or if he'd said it aloud that he'd be destroying something between them. She'd think he was disgusting. (He thought it was disgusting to react that way to anyone other then _her_.)

Tooru's feet twined with his and she nuzzled up next to him with a contented sigh. "I'm so glad Yuki-kun trusted me enough to tell me," she whispered, her words chasing along his jaw. She still wasn't sure exactly what had happened, but that he'd tried to explain meant the world to her. "So often it feels like Yuki-kun shuts me out when he's hurting or confused. I want to be here to be strong for him like he's been strong for me."

"I'm not like you," Yuki said tucking her even closer. He just wanted her as near as possible. This is what made him react, _her_, her reactions. "I can't always... get the words out right away." He sighed and felt the air bounce off her skin and felt her shiver under him. "Sometimes I need time. It isn't about trust."

She nodded and he felt her skin rub against his. She tilted her head up and pressed a kiss on his mouth. It was a slow, wet, tasting kiss. He felt her tongue stroke against his lips. Was that what had caused the wet sounds when she'd kissed Kyou? He tried doing that back, because he wanted to see if it felt as good to do it as it had sounded. His tongue didn't meet her lips and surprised at meeting no resistance he only dipped in quick and then retreated. He went back again, more than once, trading quick kisses where his tongue just breached the barrier of her lips and stroked against her teeth. He could feel her waiting for him to deepen it and make it stronger but began to enjoy the way she tried to make him linger.

Tooru's hand clenched and unclenched on his shoulder and her foot rubbed up and down the back of his calf trying to urge him to move faster. But Yuki preferred to keep things slow and deliberate, enjoying how she seemed to get more frantic. He found the edge of her large sweatshirt and slipped his hand under so he could feel her skin, lightly drawing circles on her hip.

"Ahh," Tooru gave a breathy sigh into his mouth, opening wider as she felt his fingers lightly caress her skin. He'd touched her there a million times, but it had never felt like that before. His fingers were so cool against her skin and she felt like she was stifling under the blankets and her heavy sweatshirt. Her body was reacting in all sorts of new ways and the weight of her sweatshirt was starting to feel like an extension of Yuki's slow light touch, a teasing caress on her whole body.

She could feel his lips curve into a smile against her and he _finally_ settled into one long, deep and agonizingly slow kiss. The little part of her that couldn't help comparing marveled how two things both called a "kiss" could be so different. Kyou's kiss had been all about dragging her along at his pace, riling her up and making her dizzy. It made her skin flame, and her heart feel like it was going to burst out of her chest. Yuki's kiss was slow, exploring, torturous. It made a hot ember kindle in her stomach. It spread like slow-moving magma through her body until she was burning up without even realizing it. She wanted to gasp for air, but after all the teasing she didn't want to stop the kiss so soon. She let herself get light-headed and drunk on it.

When Kyou rolled over, deliberately facing away and pulling the blankets up over his head, she was finally startled into gasping for air. It had been so quiet in the room that the soft rustle of movement sounded thunderously loud. She panted and pressed her face into Yuki's neck, her heart thudding in her chest. She took a couple of gasping breaths and could hear Yuki do the same just above her ear.

She drew back and looked over her shoulder. Kyou's back seemed much more imposing then normal. His shoulders were hunched and she could only see a little tuft of red hair poking from under the blanket. The coverlet rose and fell with her and Yuki's gasping breaths. It was hard to see in the dark, but it looked like he might be breathing heavy too. As her excitement started to fade, she wondered if she had again blundered, trampling on Kyou's feelings instead of Yuki's.

"Kyou-kun?"

Kyou was feeling a lot more sympathy for Yuki's reaction that morning. He couldn't even look at her right now. He knew she could hardly see in the dark, but it was possible he was glowing bright enough for even her to see. He felt flushed, bothered, and it felt like her little moans were still ringing in his ears. His body was reacting almost as strongly as it had when they'd been kissing that morning.

She turned in Yuki's grip, he still had her by the hip and their legs were tangled together. Usually when she started to pull away, and he was awake, he'd let her go. But tonight was different. She felt him tighten his hold. She glanced at him, but he wouldn't look at her just pressing his fingers into her skin. She stroked his cheek and didn't try to escape from his grip. After a quick kiss to the side of his mouth she did deliberately maneuvered herself so that she could reach out to Kyou while still being held by Yuki.

"Kyou?" She repeated, softer and coaxing.

He flinched when he felt her hand stroke the back of his neck and settle on his shoulder.

"It's weird," he said. "You doing stuff, you know, right there, with _him._" He couldn't say that the weird part wasn't her, but his own reaction to it.

Tooru bit her lip, not sure what to say. They'd only just begun this strange phase of their relationship, she'd felt a little odd herself this morning with Yuki right at her back. And just now she couldn't say that she'd thought about Kyou being there while she kissed Yuki. He'd been fine with it at the hotel so she'd assumed he wouldn't mind now. It had felt right in the hotel with the three of them touching and trading kisses. This morning's kiss had gotten better once Yuki had gotten Kyou to loosen his grip. But then, perhaps she was taking for granted that they had been comfortable just because she had been.

"I don't like it either," Yuki whispered.

"I'm sorry," she said and some of the tension left Kyou's shoulders, but Yuki's grip tightened. "I'm not sorry for kissing Yuki-kun," she said over her shoulder at him. He was too close to see, and he was hiding his eyes in his hair. She looked back at Kyou. He still hadn't rolled over to look at her. "Or Kyou-kun this morning," she added. "I'm sorry it made everyone uncomfortable."

"It's not your fault," Kyou said speaking to the rustling curtains, still unwilling to face her. "I didn't give you much of a choice this morning."

There was a pause as they all tried to digest this whole complicated situation.

"I don't regret it," Tooru said to the silence. "And I want to do it again."

Both boys stopped breathing. Yuki could feel her blushing under his fingertips.

"Don't you?" She whispered to both of them.

"Of course!" Kyou said, thinking of their morning kiss. He finally flipped over and Tooru retreated into Yuki's embrace at the fire in his eyes. "But I don't want to be here while you're _doing that_ with _him!"_

Curling his arms protectively around her and knowing he'd transform if she moved even a breath back, Yuki shouted over her shoulder at him. "It's not like I want to be here while _you're_ doing anything like _that_! And I don't want any stupid _Cat_ watching when I'm with her!"

Kyou reached out and grabbed her upper arm and pulled her forward, half out of Yuki's grasp. He wrapped a hand around the back of her head and pulled her his shoulder. He shouted over her head at Yuki. "So don't start anything while I'm right here! I don't want you watching either! Why don't you just go hide in the bathroom again?! Kuso Nezumi!! Let her go! You always grab onto her while you sleep and she can hardly move!"

Yuki clamped down with his legs, keeping her pinned between his feet. "You're the one who keeps being demanding and selfish! Don't pull on her like that! You're scaring her!" He kept a hold of her hip, fingertips digging in. "You're the one who started things this morning!"

"You're hurting me!" Tooru cried out, feeling like a toy in a tug of war argument, she might tear any moment. Both boys backed away as if burned, scooting out of the futon and leaving her sprawled in the middle.

She looked up at them teary eyed and shaken.

"Honda-san..." Yuki said, getting to his knees and crawling forward. "I'm sorry, I-"

"Oi," Kyou said from the other side. "I didn't mean it-"

"M-maybe I should s-sleep on the other futon." Tooru stuttered, trying to collect herself.

Yuki felt like groveling and begging forgiveness. "Honda-san. Tooru, I'm sorry," he whispered, he hadn't thought about what he'd been doing. He'd just reacted to Kyou grabbing on to her.

Kyou sat back and wrapped his arms around his legs. He didn't even know what had made him reach out like that. Bad enough he'd held her tight enough to bruise this morning (he'd seen it, his own fingerprints imprinted onto her skin.) But seeing the Rat all wrapped around her like that and her shrinking back... he'd acted before he considered the consequences.

_I knew it, I knew it,_ he thought to himself. There was no way anyone like her could be in his life, he was cursed to destroy everything good.

Tooru sat and clutched the blankets around her. That had been unnerving, but now she was regretting her words. She didn't want to sleep alone. She didn't even know if she could. What if the nightmares came back, like at Mai's? "I... I should get the futon out," Tooru said, looking hopefully at the boys wishing they'd tell her no.

Misreading her look, Yuki nodded. "I'll help you." He felt sick to his stomach. It was bad enough that she wouldn't be next to him, but that also meant that she wouldn't be a buffer to protect him from the Cat. He wanted to see her back, not Kyou's! His mind went racing into a million directions trying to figure out how to fix it.

"No," Kyou said, looking up.

"I can lift-" Yuki started, thinking it was the same complaint not to stress his back.

"No, that's not it," Kyou said and his face was oddly still and blank. He looked at Tooru intensely. "I don't want you to."

"But-"

"You said no secrets, right?" He interrupted. "Well I can't sleep if you're not next to me! I can't sleep if I'm alone."

"Yuki-kun-" She started.

"It has to be you!" Kyou looked away from them both. "Besides, when you're not there he moves around and ends up bothering me."

"It's not intentional!" Yuki said blushing hotly. "It's not like I want to snuggle up next to you!"

"I don't want to sleep alone either," Tooru confessed. "But I'm bothering you both, and-"

"Not when we're just sleeping," Kyou said.

"You aren't bothering us," Yuki said. He glanced at Kyou and then away, still not able to face the other boy for any length of time. "I think it's more that we're bothering each other. If... if it's just sleeping..." He trailed off, not knowing what exactly it was that he wanted to say.

Tooru looked down at her lap. She was relieved that she wouldn't have to sleep alone. But she was still a confused jumble of emotions. It seemed that everything she did was a a misstep. "So then," she fiddled with the covers, "Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun agree that we should have no secrets?" If they would tell her, the maybe she'd stop making a mess of things.

Kyou and Yuki looked at each other, brimming with secrets. They'd lived with them for so long they didn't know how not to.

"I'll...try," Yuki said finally.

"Yeah," Kyou agreed, looking away. "I'll try."

::0::0::


	28. NeverEnding Afternoon

_Hey all!_

This chapter is super long, clocking in at over 60 pages. This is actually the third version of this chapter I wrote. I originally was about 20 pages into another version of it, but it just wasn't working AT ALL, so I started over. Then this chapter just didn't want to end! I still feel like it's not quite "done" but am posting anyway because I felt at it was getting a bit ridiculous not to post with so much written and how long it's been since I've updated. I'm sorry if it disappoints. Please give me honest feedback, I've lost most of my betas/feedback buddies due to my glacially slow update schedule (no fault but my own) so sometimes I feel like I'm floundering a bit.  


_-Merrow_

"Wow, I can hardly believe it's the same apartment!" Morikawa enthused. "It looks great!"

Tooru smiled and reviewed the changes with fresh eyes. The boys had done their best to make the apartment come together just like she'd imagined. The white walls were pristine and smooth, the floor gleamed with the harsh cleaning and polish they'd worked into the wood. The curtains had been ironed and re-hung with care and now fluttered in the breeze. They'd secured their promised furniture and it had gotten the same treatment as the rest of the room, the table and desk shone. Both were decorated with cheap linen doilies and little white bud vases, each proudly displaying a little bit of greenery Yuki had bought from the corner drug store.

Not to be outdone by him, Kyou had added his own touches, hanging a shelf on the wall for Tooru to put their dishes, teacups and teapot and another for whatever knick-knacks she wanted. Currently there was a pretty stone she'd found on their first trip to the local park, a feather Kyou found on their balcony, and a cherry tree sprig they'd found on the walk outside the complex. It rested in it's own little vase and continued to bloom against all predictions. They'd gotten a mat to hold their shoes by the door, and brought home the little refrigerator they'd put a deposit on. The table sat in the center of the room, under the ceiling lamp just as Tooru had planned.

Under the table was a thick, woven rug, a happy circular thing of green and yellow with a border of cheerful white daisies. The boys both hated it and had looked at her like she was nuts when she'd asked if they could buy it. She knew they disliked it, and knew that it was as ugly as anything could possibly be. But the carpet had been buried in the back of the clearance section with it's tag marked down no less then five times, until it was dog-eared and nearly falling off. It looked lonely and unloved and she just had to bring it home and let it serve the purpose it was made for. It was warm, sturdy, would likely outlast their apartment stay. It was also cheap, and the boys couldn't come up with a reasonable excuse not to get it so Tooru had gotten her way again.

She was being spoiled by them both, her every suggestion indulged. If only that was what she needed to make her happy. She glanced at the balcony where Yuki was currently trying to pretend he wasn't paying attention to their conversation as he filled a cheap plastic trough and a couple of pots with soil and seeds in an attempt to start a small window garden. Kyou was out looking for a job, and probably wouldn't be back for hours still. Except for when they crawled into bed each night, the boys didn't speak to each other and tried their best not to be in the same room.

"Are you ready for school tomorrow?" Morikawa asked peering at the stone on the shelf bringing Tooru back to the present.

"I think so," Tooru nodded. "Yuki-kun and I have gotten all our books and supplies. I washed and ironed our uniforms. I wish I could make a lunch to bring."

"Sometimes the ladies in the cafeteria will let you use the kitchen if you ask nice," Morikawa said. "And you get up early enough not to get in the way of the breakfast rush."

"Really?" Tooru bounced in place.

"You have to bring your own food too, of course." Morikawa smiled. "But yes, Akane does it all the time... whenever she finds a new boy to fall in love with she makes them a bento."

"Oh," Tooru frowned, wondering vaguely which Akane liked to make bentos, she still hadn't quite gotten them straight, "But since we thought we'd be buying, we don't have bento boxes."

"We could go and pick out some from Bargain Fuji," Yuki said coming in from the porch. He shook his head to get his bangs out of his eyes. "We have plenty of time before dinner, and it's a nice day out." They were becoming well-known at the bargain store. They'd been in almost every day this week for some necessity or other.

"Mmm," Tooru cast an eye outside. It was a sunny, cheerful day. The weather was starting to warm, and the spring rains were starting to become less frequent so it should stay clear the whole day through. That was why Kyou would likely stay out until dark trying hard to find a job.

"Well, I'll let you two go then," Morikawa shuffled, nervously adjusting her glasses and glancing at the door.

"Oh, you don't have to," Tooru hurried to protest.

Morikawa had been stopping by to check on them and help get them settled. But Tooru had noticed that the moment either boy spoke the girl tended to retreat. Most of the other students were still regarding them as curiosities to be observed rather then potential friends. Somehow it had gotten around the dorms that they weren't brother and sister and that instead Tooru and Yuki were betrothed. Abe had cheerfully asked for confirmation at breakfast a few mornings ago.

Yuki had figured Urishima had let it slip to someone and had probably done so on purpose. They weren't sure why everyone assumed it was Yuki and Tooru who were paired up instead of Tooru and Kyou. Yuki had been too startled by Abe's question to deny it, so it had stuck. The residents were scandalized, including Morikawa. She was fine with Tooru alone, but seemed embarrassed by Yuki. She seemed even less comfortable with Kyou. The cat had made a poor impression on the entire complex. Morikawa, like the rest, seemed to find him close to terrifying.

Unlike the others, Morikawa at least tried to be friendly. She went out of her way to sit with them at breakfast and dinner and stopped by after school for little visits. Yuki didn't know if she was doing out of genuine friendliness or as a perceived duty as the floor's RA, but he was glad she came by. Tooru lit up during her visits.

"Would you like to come with us?" Yuki asked, quirking his eyebrows hopefully.

"No, no," Morikawa held up her hands and pushed at the air as if to propel herself backwards. "I have homework that I should get started on."

Yuki was about to offer his tutoring help to get her to stay around when Tooru gave an understanding smile and let the other girl off the hook. "Of course," Tooru smiled, "we won't keep you then."

Morikawa gave a small, tight smile and turned to leave. "I'll see you at dinner!" She hurried out the door, then paused for a moment. "I'll introduce you to the head cook, and you can ask about using the kitchen tomorrow."

"Thank you!" Tooru said following her to close the door and peeking her head out. "I really appreciate everything Morikawa-san does for us."

"It's no problem," Morikawa gave an awkward half-bow as she hurried up the hall.

Tooru glanced down the hallway and saw one of the other doors quickly nudge shut and a couple of the curtains twitch. The moment any of them stepped out of the room, it felt like the entire complex was watching. She suppressed a sigh, turned to re-enter the apartment and close the door only to find Yuki was standing right next to her.

"Oh!" she said with a start. "I didn't hear Yuki-kun."

"I'm sure that once people get used to us..." Yuki smiled gently at her and smoothed a stray hair off the side of her face, "we'll all make lots of friends." He couldn't care less about finding friends. He had everything he needed in her, but friends were important to her. He leaned down and touched his forehead to hers. He knew once people got to know her their apartment would be crowded with people visiting, they just needed a little time for people to get comfortable.

Tooru's cheeks blossomed. "I...I know." She tilted her head up and he obliged with a quick kiss. She knew neither of the boys were comfortable as they had been before the mess earlier in the week, but at least when they were alone with her they were no longer shy about expressing their feelings, at least physically. She felt the door click behind her as Yuki pressed it completely closed. His arm blocked her from moving back into the room and his other hand had slid from her hair to the back of her neck where his fingers lightly caressed her skin.

His quick kiss became another, and then a longer one until she found her back flat against the door as he crowded closer. He leaned on his arm against the door, using it to keep him just far enough away so he wouldn't transform. She sighed when he let her up for air, and found her fingers tangled in the belt loops of his pants. She blinked, and looked back up just in time to receive another kiss. His hand had wandered from her neck to her hip. Her skin prickled as one finger worked it's way under her shirt and stroked at the skin on her hip.

Every moment alone with one of the boys was spent in soft touches and kisses. When Kyou was out on his run or looking for work Yuki was looking at her with needy eyes and invading her space. If Yuki went out to the store or was in his bath, Kyou would batter her scorching stares and burning kisses. When the three of them were together, silence reigned and the air turned stagnant.

Tooru knew that both boys were aware of what was happening when they were out of the room. When Kyou came back from a run he'd make a lot of noise as he entered and make a show of taking off his shoes before he'd look in the room. Yuki would rattle the bathroom door on its track before he exited and would keep his eyes down as he entered. It wasn't a secret, they just didn't talk about it... to each other, amongst each other, not at all. The situation kept their new rule of "no secrets," but just barely. It didn't make her feel any less guilty. But the guilt wasn't enough to make her want to stop.

Her mother had always been affectionate, and if Tooru hadn't been hanging off of her mother, her Mother had been hanging off of Tooru. She frequently surprising her daughter with tight hugs and ruffled hair. Uo-chan and Hana-chan had filled some of that void after her passing. Uo-chan frequently had slung an arm around Tooru's shoulders in a quick rough hug. Hana-chan used to treat her like a pet, grooming her hair and petting her. These months alone with just the boys had been nearly devoid of anything but fleeting hand-holds and occasional late night snuggling.

She hadn't realized how much she had been craving touch until she suddenly had a chance at it again. She was addicted. Any time they got in reach her skin started tingling. She wanted to brush her fingers through their hair. She loved the smooth skin on Yuki's arms and the broad, strong expanse of Kyou's back. And, when they were alone, they were anything but unresponsive. If it was this powerful for her after only a few months without any kind of casual intimacy she couldn't imagine how it was for them. Neither kept it at a "casual" level for more then a few minutes.

Yuki's hand was now on the small of her back, under the rim of her shirt. His fingers were splayed as if he wanted to touch as much of her as he could with that one hand. It felt cool to her burning hot skin.

He broke the kiss and looked down at her, and she could swear his eyes were glowing. "Maybe I should practice now," he said. His hand twitched on her skin, sliding over and pushing her shirt up just a bit more.

"Practice?" Tooru repeated, lost in the violet depths of his eyes. Yuki kept everything so close inside, she was never sure what he was thinking. But when he was like this it was like his feelings were being projected into her heart, making it beat fast. The air on sliver of skin he exposed made her shiver.

"Tooru," he whispered, practicing her name, "Tooru...Tooru...Tooru." He leaned closer and used the hand that had been braced against the door to tuck her hair out of the way. His fingers lingered, tracing the shell of her ear.

"Oh," she breathed.

"Tooru," he said again and pecked at her lips. Both his hands settled on her waist, once again nudging her shirt up so that he could feel her skin.

Her fingers were hopelessly caught in his beltloops, twisted up and clutching at his hips for support. Her legs had gone to jelly. When he dipped down again, she met him with parted lips.

She wasn't sure how much time they'd lost leaning against the door. But Yuki's hands had worked their way up from her hips to her waist, maybe just a bit further, leaving her stomach exposed. She could feel his hands moving, the air against her skin and she could feel herself trembling. She tried to hold herself still, but she couldn't and she pressed forward.

Yuki stepped back quickly, breaking the kiss. They both gasped for air and looked away from each other. Yuki turned away completely, facing back into the room.

"I...I'm sorry," Tooru whispered. Her whole body felt like it was on fire. If he hadn't moved she would have transformed him. She shuddered and rubbed her arms, feeling the heat seep out of her now that he wasn't penning her in.

Yuki scrubbed a hand through his hair, but didn't turn to her. Why was she always apologizing for such amazing things? "No, no... that was, uh..." He trailed off, they both knew there wasn't anything to say about it. "Um, we should get to the store."

"Yes," Tooru gasped. "Oh, yes, the store." She had to get out into public because she didn't know how much more time alone she could stand with Yuki. She'd shatter into pieces; a million ecstatic pieces. "I...um, need to freshen up." She had to wash her face. She didn't know if she could look at herself in the mirror. She'd promised no secrets, made _them_ promise there would be no secrets.

"Mmm," Yuki agreed and moved further into the room without glancing at her.

She gingerly moved past him and into the bathroom, glancing back at his hunched shoulders. Guilt was thick in the room. Why did she feel like they were swimming in secrets?

::0::0::

"No reading. Buy it or put it back."

Kyou looked around and then at the register. He was the only one in the store so the clerk had to be talking to him. "Yeah." He muttered and walked up to the register. "Um, I'll take this." He put the employment guide on the counter and dug in his back pocket for some change to buy it. It was the third he'd gotten today, and he was sure the Rat would have something snide to say about it.

_Or not_, he thought wryly. The Rat hadn't said a word to him since the beginning of the week, he hadn't even given him a dirty look since that stupid fight over the curtains. He pushed that thought from his head and ignored the clerk's continuing stare as he exited the store.

He'd gone in thinking of asking if the store was hiring. He hadn't even bothered asking, the clerk had begun the stare-down the moment Kyou had entered the store. He recognized the look, he'd seen it a lot. It was the "_I can tell you're trouble just by looking at you_" look. Most of the Sohmas, outside the Junninshi, looked at him that way and just about everyone at Cherry Street complex. He missed Mai's restaurant and Enoki's crew. The whole town had taken Mai's lead and just treated him like regular person, and on Enoki's crew they didn't care what he looked like as long as he did his part. But that look was back and it hurt worse now and cut deeper.

He glanced at the sun and tried to figure out how much longer he should keep looking today. He had hours until dinner. He could go back to the apartment. If he stuck around long enough, the Rat would find an excuse to go out. Then he could lay on that horrible rug, the part that got warmed by the sun from the window. Tooru would laugh at him, and lay down next to him. And-

He stopped that thought in it's tracks. He sighed and decided to find a park to look through his guides. He _needed_ to find a job. They'd be going back to school tomorrow and in just a couple of weeks they'd have to pay the first semester's tuition. They had it, and enough for a couple of months of rent maybe a bit more if they were very careful with their money. He hadn't expected the money from Mai and Enoki to go so quickly, but the bits and bobs they'd bought for the house, and continued to buy, had dug deep into their funds.

As soon as they'd stopped painting he'd gone out to try to find work. His choices were limited, not many people would hire someone so young, and without even a high school diploma he was stuck with jobs like cleaning, deliveries, or convenience store clerk. He'd tried first at some of the restaurants that had advertised dish-washing jobs, since they advertised decent pay. But, like Yuki had found when he'd tried looking for apartments, most of the jobs were taken withing a day of being published. Some of the restaurants wouldn't even let him in the door to talk to the owner, and the rest barely glanced at his reference letter from Enoki before saying no.

Today he was trying convenience stores, he figured with so many of them he was sure to find work. And as a plus, the new employment guides came out today so if he went to different neighborhoods he could get them all. He hoped with a fresh guide he'd have some hope of finding... _something_.

Kyou detoured down a street he hadn't been on before to get to the park, lost in a fog of worries. He glanced around and found another convenience store. "They're like mushrooms," he muttered. But this one had a help wanted sign.

He sighed and geared himself up. He looked at his reflection in the closest store window and straightened up as much as he could. Tooru had picked out his clothes, and trimmed his hair just yesterday. He was looking as good as he was going to. He took a deep breath and walked into the store.

The clerk didn't look up from the magazine he was reading when Kyou walked in. Kyou looked down at his hands, nervously clutched around the employment guides he purchased. He stuffed them in his back pocket and straightened out his shirt one last time.

"Um, excuse me," Kyou said, stepping up to the counter. "Um... your sign..."

"Yeah?" The guy finally looked up after turning another page, he was pudgy and had thick, busy black brows. Kyou tore his eyes away from them. The clerk frowned at Kyou. "What sign?"

"The help wanted sign," Kyou said, trying not to return the frown as he watched the clerk's eyes wander up and down him before raising again to settle on his hair. "Can I have an application?"

The man's frown deepened. "We aren't hiring."

Kyou glanced reflexively at the sign in the front window. "But-"

"We aren't hiring," the man repeated.

Kyou looked again at the sign, "But you have-"

"Forgot to take it down. Position's filled." The man closed his magazine, and his beetle brows tried to meet in the middle of his forehead.

"Oh," Kyou glanced at the sign again and back at the man who was still staring at him. He doubted the position was actually filled. "Um, can I get an application anyway? Just in case you get, uh, another opening?" He squared his shoulders, maybe he could come back when this clerk wasn't working. It wasn't like he didn't have the time. He might have better luck with a different employee.

"No."

"No?" Kyou repeated.

"Don't want to waste 'em," the clerk said shortly. He glanced at the door as a woman walked in. The woman shot them a quick look and nervously adjusted her purse on her shoulder, sensing the tension in the store. She glanced at the door like she was thinking of stepping right back out.

"Can I help you with something, Ma'am?" The clerk went from scowls to smiles and his beetle brows jumped to hide in his hairline.

"Juices?" She asked hopefully.

"Towards the back, Ma'am... on the left."

"Thank you," the woman nodded, giving a nervous smile before ducking down the isle.

The man kept his smile for a second longer, nodding to the woman before turning a scowl back at Kyou. "Look, we don't have any jobs. Even if we had any jobs we wouldn't have one for you. We can't have someone with hair like yours at the register. Are you going to buy anything?"

Kyou opened his mouth to protest that his hair was natural, but saw the woman who'd come in earlier out of the corner of his eye. She was lurking at the mouth of the isle like she was afraid to come out.

"No, thanks," Kyou muttered and left the store. He looked up at the sun again, it hadn't budged. The days were too long. He found the park near the complex and scaled a tree, ignoring the gasps and cheers of some kids playing in the nearby playground. He took out the guides before he settled into the yolk of a tree and pulled out a pen.

He breathed in the spring air for a few minutes, trying to release the pent up energy and anger that was flooding through him. The first few places he'd applied at, he'd gotten mad and loud. But that hadn't helped him get a job. All the lessons Shishou had given him about controlling his temper and why it was important were coming back to him, and he felt like he was just starting to understand them. Throwing his anger at every stupid clerk wasn't going to get him a job or help Tooru stay in school.

He forced the fingers that were clenched around the pen to relax. He shook his head and shoulders to relax. He looked at the guides in his hand, and frowned. He could do this. He had to!

Perhaps he should try for night jobs, they seemed to be more forgiving on appearances... or at least they didn't mention any in their ads. He took out a pen and crossed out some of the places that had a laundry list in the ads about types of clothes, tattoos and dyed hair. Even though he didn't have any of those things, they'd all have the same problem with his hair. He crossed out more that asked for 18 and over only. There were a couple for deliveries, maybe he should get to know the neighborhood better before going for those...?

He sagged against the tree and let the spring sun seep into him. He wanted to go back to the apartment. It was long past lunch time, hours before dinner, and he was hungry. Tooru had started to make some things, using a rice cooker and a little crockpot she'd bought. It wasn't much, but she would make him some riceballs or something if he went home. But the thought of the stifling air at home kept him in the tree ignoring his stomach.

He couldn't stand the quiet. Any time he moved the Rat would jump and if he spoke both Yuki and Tooru would flinch. Tooru and Yuki would exchange looks, and Kyou felt like they were always waiting for him to leave. The Rat especially got on his nerves, starting and skittering away any time he came anywhere close... like he was afraid to catch some sort of deadly disease just being in the same room. It made Kyou feel uncomfortable in his own skin and made the apartment the last place he wanted to be.

It had been marginally better when they'd been painting and hauling furniture around. Then he had something else to focus on and he could ignore how familiar this feeling was. It reminded him uncomfortably of the days after his mother had died, before Shishou had taken him off the compound. He felt like the _Cat_ again... he'd almost forgotten what that'd felt like.

One of the kids below in the playground shrieked and Kyou glanced down at them, watching them chase each other around. It wasn't even him who'd freaked out._ They_ were the ones making everything weird, Tooru acting angry and Yuki acting..._weird _about stuff. What, did they think it was his turn or something? The Rat freaked out, and Tooru freaked out... was he supposed to freak out now? Well, he wasn't. He was going to prove to both of them that he was stronger then they thought. They could moon at each other all they wanted, he wasn't going to crack.

Those few and precious stolen moments he got when he was alone with Tooru were worth it. Every time he got taste those lips, and felt her skin, all the awkwardness faded away. He'd decided that he was going to take every bit of happiness he could while he could. Those moments were even more scarce now that he had to pretend to be just bystander every time they left the apartment. Tooru was suffering enough with the rumors about her and Yuki, he didn't need to add to it by being too affectionate for a _brother_ of a fiancée.

He loved waking up and finding her snuggled into his back and her breath on his neck. Yuki took forever to wake up and if he was lucky the Rat wouldn't be latched on for dear life. She'd tangle her feet up with his, which made his stomach twirl in such interesting ways, and tuck herself into his neck. But even if the Rat didn't let go, at least she was right there for him to torment and watch her blush. Yesterday he'd spent fifteen minutes stroking a finger up and down her collarbone (who knew collarbones could be so _fascinating_) and trading one long, hot kiss before the Rat had begun to stir.

Tooru had jumped out of bed as quick as lightening and cast them both scared looks before ducking into the side room. Yuki had stared at him in sleepy confusion until he'd woken up enough to realize who he was looking at. Kyou had almost laughed at the way Yuki's eyes had widened to comical proportions. In a panic the Rat had been gone as quick as Tooru, only he'd disappeared into the bathroom. It was almost funny, except it sucked being the one left behind to fold up the futon.

Kyou leaned back on the branch and stared up through the branches. The sun was struggling to fight it's way through the spring clouds. He could feel in his bones that it was going to rain tomorrow. Tooru's first day back at school would be a wet one. Did they have umbrellas? He turned his head and looked around the park.

A group of middle school kids had started up an impromptu game of soccer, and a group of senior citizens were doing some sort of group exercise off to the side. Kyou felt his throat close up, thinking of Mai's restaurant. Kazuya, the little brat he'd hardly noticed when they were there, was probably playing soccer in the park right now. Ginta would be banging his spatulas on his grill and calling for clean plates and chopped vegetables, because the dinner rush would be starting soon. Hiroki would be making bad jokes and Mai would be fussing in somebody's life.

And if they were still _there,_ instead of _here... _they, the three of them, might be upstairs. Maybe Tooru and Yuki be studying. Or maybe Tooru would be working on mending, even though they were clothes they would probably never wear again. Meanwhile Yuki would be going over their finances again even though he'd memorized how much money they had down to how it broke down by bills and change.

These little fantasies, both of what had happened in the past, and what would happen in the future, always broke down there. Because Kyou didn't see a place for himself in that picture. What had he been doing when they'd done that? Doing dishes in the kitchen? Out on a job with Watanuki or Enoki? Not exactly with them. And now? Tomorrow they'd be going to school, and he'd probably stay home in the apartment if it rained.

_But maybe_, a secret part of Kyou whispered, if we were back at Mai's... _we'd be upstairs doing katas... _

::0::0::

"Your clothes!"

Kyou froze on the bottom of the stairs to their apartment and turned around. He frowned, "Oi! What are you carrying!"

"Kyou-kun!" Tooru repeated, "Your clothes! Your new clothes!" She jogged up to him and turned him away from her and began to brush at his back and the seat of his pants. "There's marks! Black marks! What is this? It's sticky!"

"Oi, never mind that!" Kyou said trying to look over his shoulder at Yuki. "What's the Rat carrying?"

Yuki started at being addressed. "N-nothing." He looked down at the budging Bargain Fuji bags. Tooru had gone a bit nuts over the bento supplies, but they were all plastic and light. Even he could handle them.

"Kyou-kun! Your new clothes!" Tooru repeated.

"They're fine!" Kyou said jerking his arm out of her hand. "What're you doing letting the Rat carry anything?"

"They're not fine!" Tooru said darting around to examine his back again. "Is this sap?" He felt her hands press against his back as she pulled the fabric taunt to examine it. "There is bark ground in!"

"The Rat-"

"It's nothing, just some bento boxes and light things," Yuki said darting a quick glance between them. He could feel heat rising in his cheeks producing an embarrassing blush. It was the longest conversation they'd had all week.

Kyou frowned, realizing the same.

"Was Kyou-kun climbing trees?" Tooru asked plaintively. "In his _new_ clothes?" It felt like she was picking at something on his back.

"Oi," Kyou tried to look over his shoulder at her. "Is it that bad?"

"Kyou-kun..." Tooru sighed, she walked around inspecting him for other flaws before looking up at him with sad disappointment. "I'll have to scrub at it..." They had been his nicest clothes! Sap was so hard to get out. It might not even be possible.

"'mSorry," Kyou hung his head. Now he was wondering just how bad it was, and it explained a few snickers that had followed him out of the last few places he'd applied at.

"Let's go upstairs and start soaking it..." She took his hand and started up the stairs, mind roving through options to clean it off. Hot water might melt it, but it would set in the stains from the bark... Maybe if she froze it, the sap would peel off...? Did they have any rubbing alcohol?

"Baka Neko."

Kyou started and looked back at Yuki. The Rat didn't look at him, keeping his eyes on the packages in his hands. He could see the tips of the Rat's ears poking through his hair, and they were beet red. Yuki's head started to lift and Kyou quickly turned forward, feeling his own neck heat.

"Sorry for not being a priss like you, " Kyou muttered, and he heard the Rat stumble a bit behind him. Kyou resisted turning around and looking at him.

Tooru watched the boys from the doorway of the apartment. She'd almost missed the quiet exchange, nearly the first words either boy had spoken to each other for a week. She looked at Kyou with wide eyes as he passed her as she held the door, but he didn't look at her and neither did Yuki.

::0::0::

Kyou sat at the edge of the long cafeteria table. Tooru was by his elbow, with Yuki opposite her. The cat kept his focus on the plate. Morikawa was across from him, and he knew if he looked up at her she'd flinch or maybe even leave, and that would upset Tooru.

He glanced off to the side, glad they'd been able to get a seat at the edge. If they sat in the middle, it was uncomfortably clear they were being avoided by the circle of empty seats around them. They'd learned not to sit all together on one side, because that left just Morikawa on the other which seemed to make the girl short circuit.

_It doesn't take much,_ he thought, _to get her all flustered._ He resisted glancing at the girl. He couldn't figure her out. She didn't seem to dislike Tooru, but she didn't seem to like being around them. He knew she didn't like him, and she seemed to have the typical crush on the Rat. The kind of crush that made girls go all gooey and stupid. _Why does she bother sitting with us if she hates it so much? _Maybe she just wanted to be near the Rat, even if he was "engaged."

He concentrated eating the food on his plate. If he got done quick enough he could head back to the apartment and take a bath while Tooru and Yuki finished up. They usually liked to hang out in the cafeteria trying to mix with people, and that would go better if he weren't there. Then he could pull out a futon and have it ready. As awkward as things had become, it was still his favorite part of every day...

A shiver coiled down his back and Kyou closed his eyes. _Crap._ The weather he'd sensed earlier was on its way a little sooner then he'd expected. He thought he'd had until morning at least, but it felt like it'd be raining before then. It wasn't going to be a bad storm, but it seemed like he felt the weather _more_ since the typhoon.

"Kyou-kun?"

Kyou gave his head a little shake and looked over at Tooru. Had she asked him something?

"Are you feeling well? You look pale."

He couldn't resist looking at the girl across from him as he decided how to answer that. Morikawa jumped at his glance and he sighed. He was tired of being treated like a _monster_ by everyone around him. He didn't have the patience for tact. He almost said what he was really feeling, that he felt like crap and his bones were starting to ache.

But Tooru's big worried eyes made him curb his tongue. "It's gonna rain."

Tooru's lips made a little "o," and she gave a quick glance at Yuki and Morikawa before putting a hand on his arm. "Is is going to be..._bad?_"

Kyou shook his head. "No, not that bad." Her worried look lessened a little and he glanced at Morikawa to see what the other girl was making of this conversation. She looked confused, but if she had questions she was keeping them to herself. He couldn't help himself and his eyes slid over to Yuki.

The Rat wasn't looking at him, his eyes were on Tooru and he was frowning. Kyou looked down before the Rat could catch him looking and get weird about it again. He felt his frustration rise, he just knew that Yuki was blaming him for getting Tooru all worried.

"Do..." He looked up and Morikawa seemed to choke on her question, "erm... Do... do you have an injury or something?"

He just looked at her wordlessly, wondering where that had come from. She seemed to shrink under his gaze. She glanced at Yuki and Tooru before rallying and explaining. "My Gran broke her leg when she was a little girl and she could always tell when it was going to storm. She said she could feel it in her knee."

Kyou scratched the back of his head. "Something like that," he said finally.

"Kyou is very sensitive to weather, it gives him migraines," Yuki said.

"O-oh, really?" Morikawa adjusted her glasses as her cheeks flamed. "I've heard o-of that happening before. The pressure systems effect people that way. That must be hard." She glanced quickly at Kyou, then down to her hands before peeping at Yuki through her lashes as if to see if he approved.

Kyou looked at Tooru and she was beaming at the Rat like he'd saved the day again. "I'm gonna go upstairs and take a bath."

"Do-" Tooru started to stand.

"Nah, I'm fine," Kyou cut off her offer to help. He just wanted to get cleaned up and lay down. When the weather hit, he wouldn't get any real rest. _Not that I have anything to do tomorrow..._

"If you're sure..." Tooru said looking at his back as he left the room. He just waved a hand at her without looking back.

"Will he be okay?" Morikawa asked. "He seemed...really irritated."

Tooru bit her lip, wishing there was a window so she could see outside. It had rained only a few times after the typhoon, but it had been mild enough not to give him much problem. If he was feeling it already, was it going to storm? She shivered at the thought, she hadn't been through a real storm since the typhoon and was unnerved by how frightened she was at just the thought of it.

"He was out for most of the day looking for work," Yuki said. "I'm sure he'll be fine after he takes his bath and lays down. Don't you think so?" Yuki looked at Tooru.

Tooru blinked and nodded. "Yes," She said trying to make herself sound normal and confident. " Of course. We should let him rest."

"Are you done with dinner?" Morikawa asked. "Do you want me to introduce you to the kitchen staff?"

"Oh, yes!" Tooru looked at her plate, "Let me finish up." Kyou hadn't eaten well tonight, and if it was raining in the morning he might not come down to breakfast. If she could use the kitchen she could make something he liked for lunch. Perhaps some fried fish balls...

Yuki smiled at her and concentrated on finishing his food though he wasn't hungry any longer. The Cat hadn't looked well. He wondered how much of that was the weather and how much was due to his job hunt. He hadn't said anything about it. If he'd found work he would have, to Tooru at least. Yuki wondered if he should hope the Cat got a job or not. If he didn't he might be convinced to come back to school.

Yuki frowned, but if the Cat didn't get a job how were they going to pay their rent? Tooru and he hadn't gotten jobs yet either and their funds were dwindling. He didn't even know what kind of jobs he was qualified for... He wasn't like the Cat or Tooru, he didn't know how to do anything _useful. _He hadn't even thought about what he might do for a job. He still wasn't at his best physically, Kitagawa had told him to take it easy for the next couple of weeks, and he'd seen how counter-productive it was to push it.

The Cat had bought some employment guides, maybe he should ask to look through them. Just to get an idea of what was out there. Or he could ask Tooru...

::0::0::

Kyou's leg was cold. He grumbled to himself and shifted in the tub, bringing his leg back in. He huffed under is breath and squirmed to get comfortable again. It was just too cramped, he thrust his other leg out of the water so he could sink deeper into the tub. He longed for Shigure's house and its big tub that he'd taken for granted. Now his other leg was cold!

He sighed and heaved himself out of the tub. It was just no use. He couldn't sink in deep enough for the heat to seep into him without feeling cramped. He toweled himself off and got into his striped night shirt and pants. He walked back into the empty apartment. He glanced around with a frown. Tooru had left her bento stuff all over the table. He muttered complaints as he picked them up and put them back in their bag. He looked around and decided to leave it on top of the fridge, where it would be in plain sight but put away. He picked up the light table and leaned it against the wall so he could bring out the futon.

He got annoyed with the sound of his breathing when he was alone in the apartment. It always sounded so loud! He could hear his blood rushing and his breath huffing as he pulled out the oversized futon. He threw it down and then grabbed the bedding. He hated how loud every movement he made sounded when the others weren't there.

Not that it was any better when they were there. Then he could only wait to see how fast he could get out of their presence or how fast they escaped his.

The door rattled and he froze in the act of laying down the pillows, comforter still in his arms. Tooru looked at him and gave him a tentative smile.

"Does Kyou-kun feel better now?" She asked

"Yeah," he said glancing over her shoulder to see if Yuki was following her. Sometimes he'd stay downstairs for a few minutes, talking to Morikawa. The Rat seemed to care a lot what the RA thought of them. He was too dense to realize the RA was freaked out by his presence and he was probably just making it worse.

"Kyou-kun still looks pale." Tooru stepped closer and brushed her fingers through his bangs before resting it against his cheek. "Is it going to storm tonight? Will you be okay?"

"It's just going to rain a lot." Kyou sighed and leaned into her hand. He glanced to the open door, Yuki was hesitating on the threshold. Kyou looked back at Tooru. "You guys got umbrellas? It's probably going to still be raining in the morning when you go to school." His eyes slid shut and he nuzzled into her palm. She felt nice and cool.

Tooru looked at Yuki, brow furrowing. "I don't think we do... do we?"

"No." Yuki patted his hip. "I still have our money." He looked at his watch. "Bargain Fuji is closed but there convenience store is open. They'll have cheap ones..."

"Do you want me to go with you?" Tooru asked. She looked back up at Kyou as he lifted his head from her hand. She felt his hands settle on her waist and he shifted to put his head on the crown of her head in an almost-hug.

Kyou opened his eyes a slit and peered at the Rat, wondering if he'd take Tooru away. He really wanted just a few minutes with her. The Rat had her all day... He closed his eyes again and nuzzled into her hair.

"N-no," Yuki said, swallowing nervously. He stepped back into his shoes and put his hand on the door ready to flee Kyou being so openly affectionate. It was obvious that the Cat didn't want her to go. "It's fine, I'll only be gone a few minutes." He hurried out the door before Tooru could say anything else.

He practically ran down the stairs, feeling his cheeks burning. Kyou had been practically wrapped around Tooru! Did the Cat have no shame? He bet that the minute the door had closed they had started kissing...

His mind painted him a vivid picture of what the Cat and Tooru could be doing at this very instant. His face felt like it could ignite even in the cold air. Yuki shuddered, hating his body's reaction. It was disgusting that he got so... excited by just a glance and some dirty thoughts. He felt like he was doing a disservice to Tooru, imagining her _doing things_ with the Cat but he couldn't stop his mind from racing.

He wondered if Kyou had gotten further then he had... Tooru had let him touch her skin, did she let the Cat do the same? Did he like the smooth skin on the small of her back... Did she like the feel of his callused hands? She made so much noise when Kyou kissed her, he could hear it from the bathroom when he was in his bath. Yuki bet she squirmed under him-

"Stop it, stop it," Yuki muttered to himself as he stopped in front of the convenience store. He was breathing as heavy as if he'd run the whole way. Had he? He wiped his forehead. He might have... he'd gotten here so quickly, his mind lost in wrong thoughts and feelings. He shuddered and wondered what was going on in his head and body. His body was running away with him and his mind was swirling around things he shouldn't be imagining.

He spread a hand over his chest, feeling it contract painfully. _Breathe, breathe..._ he thought to himself. He hadn't had an attack for so long. He knew why it was happening now. Hatori had said it was mostly mental at this point, it happened when he was stressed and worked up. He just had to calm himself down. His mind flashed to Kyou burying his nose in Tooru's hair and he lost his breath again. _Don't think about it, don't think at all._

He concentrated on counting and doing math equations in his head as he stared at the pavement and ignored the passersbys. Slowly his chest loosened and he was able to breathe freely again. He smoothed out his hair and straightened his clothes. He took a look around and found himself right outside the convenience store. There was a help wanted sign out side and he wondered if Kyou had applied here with his bark covered clothes.

Yuki walked inside and found a rack of dollar umbrellas. "Baka neko," he muttered as he picked out three. He got a pink one for Tooru and a blue for himself, that left the bright red one for Kyou. He paid for the umbrellas and stepped back out into the night.

He'd better take his time getting home. He knew what they'd be doing, and he knew that if he was careful he wouldn't have to see or hear any more of it. His mind supplied enough of a show for him, he didn't need to see it to confirm it.

::0::0::

Tooru opened her eyes when the door rattled and opened. Glancing over her shoulder at the sleeping Cat she gently slid forward until she was sitting up. "Yuki-kun?"

"Hon...er, yes, it's me," Yuki still slipped now and then with her name. He had a hard time calling her Tooru and was finding all sorts of inventive ways to avoid it. "I got the umbrellas."

"The bath is ready," Tooru put her fingers to her lips. "Kyou-kun is already sleeping."

"Already?" Yuki looked back over his shoulder at the darkening sky. It wasn't even raining yet. It wasn't like the Cat to lose and opportunity to have Tooru to himself. He wasn't even facing her, instead Kyou was curled up facing the window and had the comforter nearly up over his head.

"He has a fever," Tooru said. "I got him to take some medicine."

"Is it bad?" Yuki quickly closed the door and stepped inside.

Tooru shook her head, but her brow was wrinkled in concern. "Not too bad... but... do you think the medicine will help if it's because of the rain?"

"He's never gotten a fever just from weather before," Yuki said shucking off his coat. "Not even during the typhoon." At least, not that he knew of. He'd never really taken much notice of Kyou's aversion to rain before.

"Do you think he's very sick?" Tooru put her hand on the Cat's back, and gazed at the shock of hair on the pillow. She bit her lip.

"Kyou is strong," Yuki assured her. "He's just been working really hard the past couple of days. I'm sure that he'll be fine once the rain passes."

He knelt down next to her. "He's been really pushing himself since we left Mai-san's. If anything I think it's good that something is finally making him slow down."

Tooru ducked her head and let her bangs fall into her face. "We haven't been doing a very good job at watching over him." She flopped onto her side and looked up at Yuki. "He spends so much time looking after us." He was always pointing out when Yuki was working too hard or trying to do too much and stopping her when she got worked up or too enthusiastic.

"I don't think he likes being looked after," Yuki said, getting up and putting some distance between them, uncomfortable with the implication that he had somehow failed them. It was too close to the truth. He'd been much more concerned with his own feelings about everything then how Kyou was handling things. Just like at Mai's; Kyou had thrown himself into working on the apartment. No wonder he'd worked himself into a fever. He probably should of said something, but that would have meant _talking_ to Kyou. He found himself stroking the inside of his finger again. He grimaced and shook out his hands.

"Everyone wants someone to look after them," Tooru said softly, rolling onto her stomach and watching as Yuki retreated towards the bathroom. Yuki looked back at her. She couldn't see his features, the room was dark and the light was on in the bathroom, casting him in shadow. "Everyone wants to know that someone cares," she added.

"He knows you care," Yuki said and disappeared into the bathroom before she could say anything else.

On his side, Kyou closed his eyes and continued to pretend he was asleep. He felt Tooru shift back under the blankets and roll close to his back. She laid a hand gently on his back and he felt her cheek press between his shoulder blades. She gave a soft, sad sigh and cuddled into his sweatshirt.

"We both care," Tooru whispered, clutching at his shirt, and Kyou wondered if she was telling him or trying to convince herself.

::0::0::

Kyou woke up when he felt a draft chasing down his back. He looked around muzzily, he must have fallen asleep before Yuki had finished his bath. He rolled on his back and pressed the heel of his hands into his eye sockets trying to clear out his mind by clearing his vision. His head felt like it was stuffed with cotton and confusion. He frowned and squinted at the window. It wasn't light out yet, or if it was the rain was keeping it from shining.

He felt a cool hand on his forehead and looked up. "Oi, what are you doing up?" Tooru was kneeling above his head, fully dressed in her new school uniform.

"Shhh," Tooru glanced to the side. "Yuki-kun is still sleeping. He didn't fall asleep until late last night." He'd kept her up with his tossing and turning.

"Like I could wake 'im," Kyou grumbled. "Get off," he brushed her hand away from his forehead.

Tooru ignored his muttering and placed her hand on his cheek. "Kyou-kun's fever is much lower today. He only feels a little warm. But you should stay in bed today."

"I was gonna," Kyou said turning on his side away from her and the lightly snoring Rat. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. He slept better when she was next to him, he didn't like the feeling of an empty space next to him. "Why are you up already?"

"I'm going to go make some bentos," Tooru said gesturing to the shopping bag full of lunch gear. "Morikawa-san introduced me to the head cook downstairs. She said I can make them if I come in before the breakfast. Do you want me to bring you breakfast back?"

Kyou didn't feel like being stared at by the nosy kids in the cafeteria or having to stare at his plate to avoid scaring Morikawa. And he got the feeling that she and the Rat didn't like how he acted around the others. _Excuse me for not liking being treated like a delinquent. _"Yeah, I just want some fruit or something."

Tooru nodded. "I won't be long." She picked up the shopping bag and a pink umbrella Yuki must have bought the night before.

Kyou rolled back on his side and closed his eyes, trying to relax enough to fall back to sleep. He could hear the downpour going on outside. The rain dragged him back into sleep easily, the sound was soothing and the fatigue that came along with the curse only made it easier to let go.

He'd almost drifted off to sleep when he heard a rustling in the blankets to his side. He glanced over his shoulder with a frown. The Rat was on his side, facing Kyou with a scrunched up expression. His eyes were shut and he was obviously missing Tooru's presence. His hands had reached out into the empty space and he'd grabbed onto her pillow. He'd be wrapped around it in a minute, pulling him closer to Kyou.

"Crap," Kyou said under his breath. He couldn't deal with the Rat's sleep squirming today. He edged to the far edge of the futon, putting as much distance as possible between them. He had almost drifted off again when he felt something push into his back of his legs. "Oh, _come on!" _

He sat up and pushed the comforter down, looking at Tooru's space on the futon. The Rat had Tooru's pillow in a death grip, soundly asleep with his face pressed into it. "How can you even breathe, stupid?" Kyou grimaced as he watched the Rat's legs twitched and kicked forward, looking for body heat. Kyou lifted his leg out of the way. To escape he had to shift his legs off the futon and onto the cold wooden floor.

He was being forced from the futon. He frowned and scrubbed a hand through his hair. All he wanted to do was to get a little unmolested sleep. He glanced down at the far side of the futon, the portion Yuki had abandoned. He grabbed his pillow and escaped from the Rat who was starting to inch into the warm valley Kyou's body had left.

Kyou walked around the futon and slid into Yuki's place. It felt weird to sleep on the right side of the futon, he'd been sleeping on the left now for months. He squirmed in place and tried to get comfortable. Yuki's side was cool, and it gave his skin a chill. He snuggled into his pillow and tried to release his irritation. He slowly drifted into a light doze, one ear cocked for Tooru's return.

He'd drifted deep enough back into slumber that he missed the warning signs that Yuki had realized the only body warmth was now on the opposite side of the futon. He'd abandoned Tooru's pillow, and rolled on his other side. This time he lead with his arms and Kyou started awake when a hand grabbed onto the back of his sweatshirt. He looked over his shoulder and cursed. Yuki tried to tug him closer and tossed a leg forward trying to trap his lower half.

"Cold," Yuki muttered and the sweatshirt of Kyou's collar started to choke him as he persistently tried to tug the other boy closer.

"Then get another blanket!" Kyou growled and pulled himself out of the other boy's grip. Apparently he'd tried to escape in his sleep and was already as far as he could go to the right. With a growl he pushed himself all the way out of the futon, rolling onto the floor with a huff. This reminded him of a stupid song from kindergarten... something about monkeys on the bed, rolling off until only one was left. He considered just staying on the floor, he was mostly on that ugly carpet this time instead of the icy floorboards, but it was still too cold.

He got up, dragging his pillow on the ground and glaring at the boy left on the bed. Yuki was squirming closer to the edge again, seeking the warmth he knew should be there. Kyou glanced at the clock. Tooru should be back soon with breakfast and to get the Rat up for their first day of school. He should be able to reclaim his regular position and maybe catch a few more seconds of sleep before she got back.

His bones felt like they were throbbing, and the room felt freezing. He pressed a hand to his forehead, Tooru had said his fever was down... but he felt uncomfortably warm and chilled at the same time. He frowned at the Rat, it was like he was _trying _to torment him. Yuki was winding the blanket around himself in the absence of body heat to chase.

Kyou stomped around the futon and climbed back into his spot. Yuki had stolen all of the blankets and he resisted the urge to try and tug them back. It would only alert the greedy Rat to his presence. Laying on the futon was still better then laying on the floorboards. He curled up into a ball, trying to tuck his feet under himself and burrowing back into his pillow. If it hadn't been raining he probably wouldn't have been able to drift back to sleep, but his body was too exhausted to let minor annoyances keep it up. He shivered and wished they had bought extra blankets like they'd intended.

When Yuki attacked again, his body was too happy to finally have a little warmth to wake him. When Kyou finally woke, the Rat had already pressed himself to his back and wrapped an arm around his waist. The only reason he woke was because Yuki's elbow was digging into his spine.

Kyou gave a sobbing curse into his pillow. "Shit! Crap!" All he wanted to do was _sleep._ He tried to squirm forward, but found that Yuki had trapped his legs under his. The arm around his waist tightened and he felt Yuki press a cheek to his back.

"Dun move..." Yuki said nuzzling him between his shoulder blades in a Tooru-like move. "Warm."

"Get your elbow out of my back!" Kyou growled, mindful to keep his voice low because of the thin walls. Did Tooru have to deal with thatevery night? How did she sleep at all? "Off, off! Kuso Nezumi! I'm not _her._"

"Sorry, sorry..." Yuki muttered and rolled forward so that his elbow wasn't jabbing Kyou so hard. It had the uncomfortable side effect of pressing _more_ of the Rat up against his back, sealing the Yuki's right side all along the length of him.

"Erg..." Kyou pressed his face deeper into his pillow. "_Craaaap._" He banged on hand into a pillow, ready to sob out of frustration. The Rat was going to freak out when he woke up, and this was going to be his fault somehow. He just knew it. But the warmth of the Rat's body was relaxing his aching bones and muscles. The rain was coming down in droves and he felt like his fever had returned full force. He just couldn't fight anymore. He couldn't keep his eyes open any longer.

::0::0::

Tooru hurried to the apartment, glad she'd carried everything down in the shopping bag. She wouldn't have been able to manage bringing everything back otherwise. Lunch had taken longer to prepare then she'd thought it would. She'd wanted more time to get Yuki up and presentable, he could take forever in the mornings. To try to make up for some of the lost time she'd gotten all of their breakfasts to go, she could eat while he dressed. She'd made him a sandwich so he could eat along the way if he had to.

She shook out her umbrella, it was pouring out now and she knew that Kyou couldn't be comfortable in this weather. She bit her lip and looked at the sky. She wanted to make sure his fever was still down, if not she could stay home from school one more day and make sure he ate when he should and stayed in bed. She left the umbrella on the walkway outside the door and stepped inside. She took off her shoes and stepped into the apartment, the heavy shopping bag dangling from an elbow.

She glanced at the bed and froze. Her arm dropped and the bag of food dropped to the floor with a smack. She glanced at it only long enough to determine that nothing had spilled before her eyes were dragged back to the futon as if by magnetic force. On the bed the blankets had been completely pushed to one side, exposing the figures on the bed to the wan and fitful morning light fighting its way through the clouds. Yuki had wrapped himself around Kyou the same way he'd often wrapped himself around her. His legs entwined over the top of Kyou's and he had one arm clutching his waist while the other hand fisted in the sweatshirt at his shoulder. If the Cat moved at all he'd probably choke.

Tooru covered her mouth with one hand, her shock starting to change into something else. She circled the futon wishing desperately for a camera. Yuki had his mouth wide open and was lightly snoring.

"Oh no," she giggled. Yuki was _drooling_ on Kyou's back. There as a small wet spot where Yuki's cheek met his sweatshirt. The mouse looked so content, the cat on the other hand, had a scowl even in sleep. Oh, _why_ didn't she have a camera?

Yuki murmured as her shadow fell across them, feeling something different. His face scrunched up and he turned his face into Kyou's back and squirmed, pressing himself even closer and blocking out the rest of the world.

"Oh... my," Tooru pressed a hand to her stomach. She was torn between wanting to release a belly laugh and wanting to crawl into bed with them. There was something about the mixture of Yuki's hair twining with Kyou's on the pillow that made her knees a little weak. She noted that Yuki had a death grip on Kyou's wrist, holding the Cat's arm tight against his body. Had Kyou tried to escape Yuki's sleep-snuggling? She could have told him that didn't work, it only made him cling tighter.

"Oi," Kyou cracked an eye at her, "It's not funny."

"Oh, _Kyou-kun!_" Tooru breathed and dropped to her knees. "Is his elbow in your back?"

"Not anymore," Kyou grumbled, cheeks burning. "Does he do that every morning?"

"Mostly." Tooru giggled. "Is your back very wet?"

"What? Why?" Kyou tried to look over his shoulder. "Oh, eww! He's drooling!" He gave a half hearted squirm, trying to put a little distance between the two of them. Yuki just tightened his grip on his arm and plastered himself even tighter.

"Don't do that!" Tooru said, and put a calming hand on Kyou's shoulder. "Sometimes he grips too tight if you try to get away."

Kyou gave her a pitiful, pleading look. "Get him off me, _please._" He ducked his chin down into his chest. "He's gonna freak if he wakes up like this." If Yuki couldn't handle a little brush of the finger tips, there was no way he'd would be able to handle full contact cuddling. The truth was he could have broken the Rat's grip if he wanted to startle the boy awake. It was hard to do, but not impossible.

But Kyou was tired of being treated like a filthy monster just because his fingers brushed Yuki's once or twice. How much worse would it be after this? If he could just get loose before Yuki really woke... He could pretend this embarrassing, annoying event had never happened without being treated like more of a pariah then he already was.

Tooru patted his shoulder, sensing his turmoil. She slid into bed behind Yuki. She pressed herself up to his back and slid her hand down the arm that was over Kyou's waist and had a death grip on his wrist. She smoothed her fingers over the skin of Yuki's arm and for a moment enjoyed that it was again the three of them wound together, albeit in a different configuration then usual. She reached forward and stroked Yuki's fingers where they clutched around Kyou's wrist. She kissed the back of his neck.

Yuki made a pleased noise in the back of his throat and turned slightly towards her. His grip on Kyou slackened. Kyou held his breath, afraid that Yuki was about to wake while he was still in a compromising position. Instead the boy turned towards the person who was initiating the close contact he craved. Tooru moved her hand up his arm in a slow, soft stroke before lifting her fingers to trail across his cheek. She pecked his lips. Yuki gave a happy sigh and fell to his back on the futon, releasing Kyou.

Tooru kissed him again and he turned to her to continue it. She watched as Kyou gave them long look before sliding out of the futon and heading into the bathroom. She couldn't interpret what feeling had been behind the look, relief? Longing? Hurt? She had seen a little of everything in it.

"Honda-san?" Yuki asked with a yawn. "What are you doing over there?" She was on the wrong side. How did he get in the middle? He looked around in confusion, where was Kyou? He blinked again at the room before lighting on her school uniform. "Why are you dressed?"

"We have school, did you forget? Yuki-kun is running late," Tooru whispered, pecking him quickly on the side of his mouth. "You have to get up and get dressed. I brought up breakfast and our lunches."

"What?" Yuki's eyebrows drew together and he sat up quickly and looked around the room for the clock. "Ah! It's late!"

"She just said that, Kuso Nezumi."

Yuki started and looked back over his shoulder at Kyou. He'd gotten used to Kyou ignoring him. He didn't know what to say, and Kyou wasn't even looking at him so he continued on into the side room where his uniform was waiting.

"Kyou-kun, breakfast." Tooru sat on the floor with her own takeout breakfast, a light salad and some thin omelet rolls.

"I'm not hungry," he muttered flopping back on the futon. Now that it was empty it seemed awfully big and cold. He curled up in its center and upside down, deliberately placing his feet on the Rat's pillow. He deserved it for bothering him all morning and not remembering it.

"Please eat something," Tooru crawled over to the bed with the take out box. "Just an roll? It's salty, not sweet..." She reached forward to feel his forehead. "Did your fever come back? Maybe I should stay home from school..."

"What?" Kyou sat up too fast and his head swam. "No way! It's your first day! You can't skip!"

"I'm sure they'd understand-" Tooru started.

"I said no!" Kyou said, putting a hand to his head. He wouldn't be the reason she missed school. "It's just the rain, I'll be fine!"

Tooru frowned and sat up on her knees and reached out to feel his forehead. She sat back on her ankles and looked at him doubtfully. "Well, Kyou-kun's fever is down..." She looked at the meal in her hands. "But if his appetite is gone..."

"It's fine," Kyou snatched the food out of her hands and started stuffing it into his mouth. "Eat yours! You've got to have energy for school, don't you?"

"Yes!" Tooru said and went back to her own meal. She watched Yuki as he ran from the side room to the bathroom and back again, in only his uniform pants. The bruises on his back and side had faded from the deep black and purple to an ugly brown and green.

"Do we have our schoolbags packed?" Yuki panted as he ran back into the side room after brushing his teeth. "We have to leave in just a few minutes!"

"Yes, I packed them yesterday." Tooru finished up her breakfast and then dug into the shopping bag, pulling out a baby blue cloth bag that held Yuki's lunch. "I have your lunch here, and mine." She looked at Kyou who was looking a little green after wolfing down his breakfast. "I've got Kyou-kun's lunch here." She'd found a bright orange box that just screamed it was for him.

"Yeah, okay."

"Are you ready, Honda-san?" Yuki said coming to a stop in front of her, frantically trying to button the last button on his jacket.

"Yuki-kun is slipping again," Tooru sighed as she stood up and batted his hands away from the button, so she could fix it. "You have to remember to call me by name at school." She smoothed down his shoulders and straightened him up. "Yuki-kun should tie back his hair."

"Ah!" Yuki grabbed at his hair. He still wasn't used to thinking of his hair as long. Tooru ducked into the side room and came out with one of her ribbons and their schoolbags. She dropped the bags by their feet and gave him a calming smile.

"Let me," Tooru smiled and stepped around his back and tied back his hair. She smoothed his shoulders again.

Yuki looked over his shoulder at her. "Thank you." He took a deep breath, closed his eyes and exhaled. He opened his eyes again, calmer and more collected. "Sorry."

"You guys are going to be late if you don't leave," Kyou reminded from the futon. He'd flopped back on to his pillow in the center of the futon as if he was determined to take up as much space as possible.

"Okay, we're going." Tooru handed Yuki his bag and lunch before picking up hers. She took her own calming breath. "I'm ready," she said.

Yuki nodded. He glanced at Kyou and then away, unsure of what he should say.

Tooru caught the glance and looked at the body on the futon. He was carefully not looking at them. She really wished he was coming along. "Kyou-kun will really be okay by himself?"

"I just wanna sleep," Kyou said ducking down into the covers. "Go on already! Don't blame me if you're late!"

Tooru carefully stepped over and knelt down next to him. "Sleep well, Kyou-kun. We'll be home right after school. Don't forget to eat your lunch."

He looked up at her, about to harangue her about leaving and she bent to kiss him quickly on the forehead. She whispered into his ear, "I still wish you were coming with us."

Kyou's eyes slid to the coverlet and he pulled it up to cover his burning cheeks. "Don't forget your umbrellas."

"Come," Yuki held out a hand, "Morikawa-san said she would be waiting for us. We don't want to make her late."

Tooru nodded, stood and walked over to Yuki. She took his hand and followed him to the door. She glanced back only once at Kyou. Hidden under his blankets, the boy didn't look up until after he heard the door shut.

::0::0::

Tooru nervously shifted as she waited outside the classroom. As expected, she and Yuki were in different classes. This school separated out students based on their entrance exam scores, with higher ranking students in classes A, second rank students in B and so on down to D. Yuki had of course made it into the A class. Tooru had surprised herself into making it in to B class. She'd thought she'd rank in D, or when she was more hopeful, in C. She credited Yuki's dedicated coaching to her windfall.

Still, even though it was expected, it was sad to think she'd spend the bulk of the day without seeing either of them. _I can't be pleased_, she thought to herself. _At home I can't wait to get some distance... now I just want to cling to them._

"Sato-kun?" The teacher called and waved her in. According to the slip the office gave her, his name was Nagashima.

Tooru lifted her chin and squared her shoulders. It was time to grow up and start facing the world again. This was just the start. How would she ever face the rest of the Soumas if she couldn't face a class of high school students? She walked into the classroom and turned to the class. She looked at the teacher, a man who was just getting past the age where someone could call him "young." He smiled at her, and the crinkles around his eyes indicated he did that a lot.

"Sato-kun took a leave of absence from school following her mother's death and has just moved to our community." Nagashima explained, not with out some sympathy. His voice was matter-of-fact, but he gave an encouraging nod to Tooru. "So she will need all of your help adjusting, please be kind to her. Sato-kun, why don't you introduce yourself?"

Tooru gave the teacher a little nod, and quickly scanned the class. She relaxed a little when she spotted Morikawa, Abe and one of the girls from the dorms sitting in the classroom. At least it wasn't a group of complete strangers, even if she couldn't honestly call any of them friends.

"I'm Sato Tooru," she said with a little bow. "Pleased to meet everyone. It was my mother's last wish that I complete high school, so I'm very excited to be back. I will work very hard to to keep my grades up." She looked up at her new homeroom teacher, expecting to be directed to a desk.

The teacher nodded approvingly at her, rocking back and forth on his feet with his hands in his pockets. "Why don't you tell them some of your interests?"

"Interests?" Tooru repeated. She hadn't expected it to go any further then a basic introduction.

"Most of our students have been together since preschool," The teacher said genially, jingling some change in his pocket. "Give them a chance to get to know you."

"Oh, well... that is... I like cooking, and, um, gardening..." she paused, "oh, and um... martial arts." She smiled brightly to hide her nervousness. Couldn't she just sit down now? Everyone was looking at her.

"Martial arts?" The teacher gave her a skeptical look, cocking an eyebrow before shaking his head. "Does anyone have any questions for Sato-kun?"

"Oh! Oh! Me! Me!" Abe said thrusting his hand up into the air and waving it about.

"Tanaka-kun," The teacher said wearily, knowing he probably wasn't going to like what came out of the boy's mouth.

"Isn't it true that you have a fiancée? And that you live with him?" Abe asked. The whole class hooted and hollered. Morikawa covered eyes with her hand, shaking her head.

"You just _love_ causing trouble," Morikawa hissed, glaring at the boy.

Abe just gave her a monkey-like grin. "Like they wouldn't have found out."

"Yes," Tooru said to the noisy class, and the class hushed. Her cheeks burned bright red. She'd hoped that she'd have a chance to get to know people before that bit of information came to light. The whole class gaped at her.

"What?"

"She _lives_ with her fiancée?"

"Really? O-M-G!"

Abe sat back in his chair, obviously pleased with the chaos he'd sowed.

"I do have a fiancée, we live in the dorms-" Tooru started to answer but the teacher held up his hand.

"_Alone-_" Abe added, rolling his eyes dramatically at the class.

"That's enough Tanaka-kun! Sit down!" He gave a stern glare at the students. They quieted down quickly. "Perhaps you all missed the portion where I explained that Sato-kun's mother had passed away earlier this year, if you find her living arrangements strange you might consider what prompted them." The class hushed and looked guiltily at each other. Tooru looked down at her clasped hands, and the winking butterfly charm there. Her mother would be so ashamed that she was hiding behind her death. "Sato-kun, you can go sit behind Morikawa. Morikawa-kun, raise your hand."

Not waiting for Morikawa, Tooru hustled down the isle to her seat. Morikawa gave her a concerned glance as she passed, but Tooru ignored it as hung her book bag on the side of the desk and pulled out her notebook. She looked at the teacher and tried to look studious. She could hear the other students whispering about her. It was only normal to be curious, she reminded herself and she tried not let it bother her. It's just like Mai's restaurant, she thought. It'll die down once everyone had satisfied their curiosity. She just wished Yuki or Kyou were with her.

"Settle down. Settle down," the teacher said. "The lesson begins now."

Tooru felt her heart start to beat faster and couldn't help a small smile from escaping. _Mother, it's really happening! I'm back in school! I'll be able to keep my promise!_

::0::0::

Yuki escaped his classroom at the earliest convenience. The moment lunch was announced he'd grabbed his bento and went in search of Tooru's classroom. He held his lunch in front of his chest, carefully maneuvering around the knots of students and ignoring their whispers.

He was beginning to regret coming back to school. His teacher had gone on and on about his entrance exam and how the other students should take warning now that they had greater competition. He expected to see changes in the ranking and if they didn't want to see themselves fall they should work harder. It felt like the teacher had painted a giant target on his back. Not surprisingly, the guy with eyeglasses who'd been so upset at the thought of them working (and breaking the rules!) was in his class. His was the only familiar face. Unlike Tooru, school had never been a sanctuary or a place where he was surrounded by friends, but he felt like he was treading on dangerous ground now.

_I should have gotten some answers wrong on my entrance exam. Then I could have been in Tooru's class, _he thought_._

He found Tooru's classroom, and was about to enter when it opened. He quickly stepped back to avoid the boy exiting running into him.

Abe's monkey-face split into a wide grin. He looked over his shoulder, "Too-ru-san," He sing-songed. "You have a vis-it-or!"

"I do?" Tooru stood up at her desk. She'd just pulled out her lunch.

"Oh!" One of the girls in the class said in an excited whisper. "It's class A's transfer! Didn't I tell you he was too cute?"

"A total prince!"

Tooru felt her smile widen at the overheard compliments. "Yuki-kun!"

Yuki gave her a smile. "I thought we could eat together," he said raising his lunch. He looked at the girls clustered around their desks, all agog at the cute boy.

"Yes!" Tooru said eagerly, looking around for an abandoned chair for him.

"Man, you guys must be so _in loooove,_" Abe said, eyes twinkling with mischief. He jabbed Yuki with an elbow. "Gotta eat every meal with your cute bride."

Yuki gave the boy a flat look.

"_This_ is your fiancée?" One of the girls in class gasped. "The one you _live with?_"

Tooru blushed prettily. "I don't just live with Yuki-kun alone. We live with his...um...brother, Kyou-kun." She saw Morikawa starting to leave the room. "Ah, Morikawa-san! Shall we eat lunch together?"

"What? Oh, ano..." Morikawa didn't look at her and clutched at her bento. "Um, thank you...but I usually eat in the art room and work during lunch."

"Oh," Tooru had hoped she could foster a friendship with the RA, but she felt like she was constantly being rebuffed.

"Don't worry about it." Tooru looked up to see the of the girl from their dorm smiling at her. One of the Akanes she thought... she wondered if she was the one who liked to make bentos. "Morikawa always eats in the alone. Come eat with us!" She gestured to herself and a small group of girls clustered around some desks.

Tooru looked at Yuki and he nodded encouragingly. "Thank you," Tooru said trying to give a bright smile. She dragged her chair over and Yuki took Morikawa's vacated seat.

"Don't mind if I do!" Abe said, and started to drag his desk over.

"We didn't invite you!" One of the other girls said, kicking at his desk. "Back off, Monkey-boy!" She pointed a manicured fingernail at him. "Back! Back!"

"Aww, you suck, Akane Number Two!" Abe said pulling his desk back over to his corner among a grinning group of boys.

"I'm Akane Number _One,"_ she said jerking a thumb at herself. "And don't you forget it." She flipped her short curly hair and grinned at the girls giving them a wink. "Accept no imitations!"Akane from the dorms, who had long hair, gave her a weak smile and nodded. The new Akane turned to Tooru with a smile. "Come on, sit down." She patted her desk.

Tooru gave an uncertain smile and sat down, opening her bento.

"Akane seems to be a popular name around here," Yuki said, "There are three in our dorm, counting Morikawa-san. It must get confusing sometimes."

"But I'm the most important Akane," Akane said fluttering her lashes at him. "The others are all just pale imitations."

Yuki didn't respond to that, unsure of how it was meant. It sounded rude to him, but perhaps she was trying to be funny?

"It's not so bad in this classroom," long-haired Akane said. "Everyone calls Morikawa by her last name. So it's just Akane and I-"

"Which means if you hear someone saying something about Akane, they're usually talking about me." Short-haired Akane grinned. "Most people call her Number Two."

"Well, because my name is Nishihura," the other girl quickly explained, "You get it? _Ni_-shihura?" She said emphasizing the Ni sound in her name, just like the Japanese word for the number two.

"That's cute," Tooru said smiling at Number Two.

The girl smiled back at her. Tooru missed the self-proclaimed Akane Number One frowning. She turned to the girl next to her and kicked her under the table.

"Ow!" She gave a startled look at Akane, the girl flicked her eyes at towards Yuki. "I'm Tsubaki," The last girl at the table said suddenly, "Nice to meet you."

"Sato Yuki. Nice to meet you," Yuki replied, starting in on his lunch. He looked at Tooru, "How has your day been going?"

"Fine-" Tooru started.

"So you're in class A," Akane interrupted, ignoring the rest of the table and fluttering her eyes at him. "Too bad for you... There are no cute girls in that class, just a bunch of nerdy brainiacs."

"Morikawa should be in that class, she'd fit in better," Tsubaki said snidely.

Akane laughed and twirled piece of her short hair around a finger, showing off her nails.

"I don't really pay attention to things like that in class," Yuki said shortly and turned to Tooru to prompt her into finishing her sentence.

"So how did you get to know our Tooru-chan?" Akane asked, placing her hand over his wrist to get his attention and giving Tooru a warning look before he turned back to her. "Kinda sucks to be tied down by family obligations already. Your family must be super traditional."

Yuki gently extricated his hand and shared a look with Tooru, not sure how to explain their relationship. He certainly didn't like the way he was implying that they were together out of coercion. Tooru ducked her head and ate a couple small bites of her lunch. She wasn't used to being such the center of attention. No one had hardly paid attention to her at her last school, outside Hana, Uo and Yuki's fanclub.

"It doesn't feel like an obligation," Yuki said finally when Tooru didn't speak. "We've known each other since childhood."

"Ha-ha..." Number Two laughed uncomfortably and tried to change the subject. "So how are you guys getting around? It's a small school so you shouldn't have too much trouble finding things and getting to know people."

"Everyone has been very friendly." Tooru smiled, but Yuki could tell it was forced.

"Really? To be engaged just because your family wanted it that way?" Akane sniffed, ignoring the conversation between Number Two and Tooru. "_I _wouldn't want to trap a boyfriend that way."

Tooru's head came up fast. _Trap?_

Yuki's narrowed. "After Tooru-san's mother passed away, she came to live with my family," Yuki said nonchalantly. "She was added to the family register, so her name was changed. Our relationship has nothing to do with that."

Tooru looked around and realized how quiet the room had gotten. Everyone was straining their ears to hear.

"Yuki-kun is my boyfriend," Tooru said, and then couldn't help a huge smile from breaking out and spreading out across her face. That was the first time she'd gotten to say it out loud, to someone other then Kyou or Yuki. She glanced at him shyly wondering if he'd noticed. Yuki gave her a sweet smile back, usually the kind he only shared in private. He noticed. "He's my boyfriend because we care for each other, not because he has to be." There were times when she wasn't sure of that, but she hoped it was true.

"I can't believe your family is okay with you living together if they aren't the ones who decided," Akane said, looking sour.

"Not alone," Yuki said. "My brother lives with us, as a chaperone." He looked serious. "Don't misunderstand, Tooru-san has her own room and we're rarely alone." He looked at Tooru, "Lunch will be over soon, don't forget to eat. Kitagawa-sensei said you need to keep eating your vegetables." He couldn't believe how nosy these people were.

"Yuki-kun too," Tooru said looking at his mostly untouched box.

"Hey, hey..." Abe said from his desk, "So, hey-"

"Omigod," Akane said, "You are _so _annoying, Tanaka. What do you _want?_"

"Did you guys run away together?" Abe asked. "'Cause at the dorm you said you didn't have anyone, like your parents were dead too, but now that I recall only Tooru-chan said that. So, what... did you run away?"

Tooru choked on a fishball from her lunch. How could he have gotten so close to the truth?

"You like to make things dramatic," Yuki scoffed. "You have some imagination! My parents have no problem with our relationship." Which was completely true. They couldn't have a problem with what they didn't know about. "Who's ever heard of someone running away with their boyfriend...and his _brother?_"

"Oh, yeah," Abe said, leaning on his hand and looking disappointed. "I forgot about Mr. Sourpuss. Shoot! That would have been so cool!"

Tooru and Yuki exchanged glances again. They'd discovered the hard way that being runaways was definitely _not cool._

"Our families were close for a long time." Yuki said. Tooru marveled at how he could speak such a bald-faced lie while looking so earnest. "My brother and I were living with a cousin to be closer to our school. After Tooru-san's mother passed away, it made the most sense for her to come live with us, since we had plenty of room."

"So your parents are alive?" Number Two asked. "I thought you said you were on your own here."

"We are, but not because my parents died," Yuki said. Tooru was so glad he was there to explain. She would have been a gibbering mess if this had come up while she was alone. "There was a lot of damage to our home, and my parents-"

"Their roof flew off in the typhoon," Abe supplied to the listening audience. There was an answering _oooh _from the listening students.

"Yes, among other damage," Yuki nodded allowing Abe to re-interpret the crumbs they'd revealed so far however he wanted. "Part of the reason we moved here was to be less of a burden our family while they rebuild. Kyou is supporting us while we're here, so I guess you could say we're not exactly on our own."

"Kyou-kun has given up a lot for us," Tooru said stirring her lunch around in her box. She just wished there was a way she could declare her relationship with Kyou the same way she'd declared her feelings for Yuki. She hated that she had to tell these half-truths, but having to pretend that he _wasn't_ her boyfriend too and that she didn't care for him as much as Yuki was the worst.

"No wonder he's always in such a bad mood." Abe grinned.

"He's not _always_ in a bad mood," Tooru said sharply.

"Could have fooled me," Abe shrugged. Something had bothered Yuki about Abe from the beginning, and now he was really getting on his nerves. It was like he existed to just instigate trouble.

"Wow," long-haired Akane-Number-Two said, "It must have been so hard but you never said anything all this time."

All this time? They'd only known her a week, they hadn't even known for sure her name was Akane until today.

"I'm sorry." Tooru apologized, for lack of anything better to say. She bit her lip and looked at Yuki. She was afraid to elaborate on anything, she was losing track of the lies they'd told. She was never going to remember all of this! "With getting the apartment together we've had so little time to really get to know anyone here." And no one had really made any sort of effort to get to know them once they'd found out about her and Yuki's 'engagement.'

"We thought everyone knew," Yuki explained putting on his best "polite but confused" face. If Tooru hasn't known better she would have thought he was telling the truth. "Urishima-san knows, and the school officials. After Tanaka-san asked us about our relationship at the dorm, everyone there seemed to know." He reached out and Tooru put her hand in his. He gave her fingers a squeeze before releasing her. "We've been together for so long, and everyone knows us back home. It's easy to forget that we have to explain things."

"Yuki-kun's family is really well known back home," Tooru said, which was the complete and utter truth.

"Oh yeah?" Tsubaki perked up. "Why? Are you rich?"

"If they were rich would they leave home to be less of burden?" Short-haired Akane gave her a dirty look.

"Oh," Tsubaki pouted.

"Yuki-kun's family is really large," Tooru explained and Yuki gave her an approving look.

Short-haired Akane gave Yuki a simpering look. "I think it's sweet that you worry about your family so much."

"That's what families do," Tooru said. "Yuki-kun, lunch will be over soon. You should hurry and finish."

::0::0::

By the end of the day Tooru was completely frazzled. She couldn't get a moment alone. Any break between classes and the girls all swarmed around her asking about Yuki. They were full of questions about how romantic it was, how exciting to be all on their own and how sweet Yuki seemed. They wanted to know what it was like to be a young bride-to-be, and what their plans were and wasn't Yuki just so cute? If she was in the bathroom, girls from other classes would stand behind her and whisper that how she was the girl living with her boyfriend, or worse rumors as if she was deaf and couldn't hear them.

With the friendly girls, the girls who wanted to believe that her situation was the most romantic thing ever, she wished she could join in and happily gush about just how romantic and sweet Yuki could be. She wanted to share how he was always working hard to help and support her. She wanted to tell them all how he'd risked his life to keep her safe in that terrible storm. She wanted to tell them how achingly beautiful he'd been when he'd come back from foraging in the woods when they'd been living in a shack together. Wearing his patched, stained clothes, and his fingers raw and chapped from digging in the dirt, he'd never looked better wreathed in a proud smile when he found something useful. How he was so modest and never noticed that every one of the old ladies regulars at Mai's restaurant had a crush on him and ordered twice as many desserts when he was taking orders just so he'd smile at them more.

She wanted to tell them how, even though she now had a permanent bruise in the small of her back where he liked to jab her with his elbow, she loved that he snuggled in his sleep. She wanted to tell someone, anyone, how wonderful his slow kisses were. She wanted to share how Yuki was always calculating and planning and trying to make their life a little bit better.

But she couldn't. Because doing that would have meant she couldn't share that Kyou was always making sure that Yuki didn't press himself too hard. She couldn't laugh about how while Yuki clutched her tight like a teddy bear in his sleep, Kyou would stroke her cheek and tease her. She couldn't tell them how she'd never seen Kyou smile bigger then when he caught a fish, or how proud he'd been when he'd brought his first pay home from his repair work. All the men on Enoki's crew would crowd into Mai's after a workday and would be full of teasing compliments, and Kyou would go so very red. It was so cute! He'd try so hard not to smile, but it had hung around the edges of his lips just waiting for him to let down his guard.

She couldn't tell anyone how Kyou was giving up _everything _just to keep them in school, and in an apartment that had its own bathroom. She loved the work he'd done on the apartment, the paint was pristine and the little floating shelves were more then she'd even dreamed of. When she'd asked for that ugly, ugly rug he'd tried so hard not to show how much he hated it, and he'd carried it home over his shoulders glaring at anyone who dared look at them strange.

She wanted to share all the sweet, dear things both of them did for her and she couldn't.

"Are you tired?"

Tooru looked up at Yuki. "Yes, a little." She gave a little smile. She had been so excited about starting school, now she was just glad she was going home.

He brushed her hand with his fingers and she took the invitation to take his hand. The rain had stopped late in the afternoon, leaving the ground wet and clean. She nudged a little closer brushing his arm with hers. She was just about to wrap her arm around his when a low wolf-whistle behind them startled her into dropping his hand.

"Look'it the lovebirds!" Abe crowed and jogged past them.

Tooru looked at her feet. Abe Tanaka had been making comments all day long. She heard a group of girls start to whisper behind them. She glanced behind them and the girls started to giggle and pointedly looked away from them. As soon as she faced forward they started laughing outright.

"We're almost home," Yuki said. He brushed her fingers again, but she didn't take his hand.

They turned onto the walkway leading into the Cherry Street Complex. The girls who'd been walking behind them laughed loudly again. Yuki looked back and they gasped and ran out of sight, still giggling.

"Are you okay?" Yuki asked.

Tooru nodded. "Do you think we should look for work today?" She asked mostly to distract him from worrying about her. It wasn't anyone's fault that she'd had a bad day at school. She should have expected the rumors from the dorm to follow them to school and been better prepared.

She'd just thought that once they went to school it would be like school back home. But there was no Uo-chan or Hana-chan waiting with a smile after she passed the school gates. There was no Kyou-kun getting riled up by his classmates until he exploded, and no gentle Yuki-kun sitting a few seats ahead to chat with between classes. She'd been dreaming of going back to school, but she'd been really dreaming of going back home to the time before everything went tilted and strange. That wasn't anyone's fault but her own.

"Not today," Yuki said, starting up the stairs to their apartment. "We're both tired. Kyou bought some employment guides, maybe we can look at them after dinner. Do you have homework?"

"Some," Tooru nodded, "Nagashima-sensei gave me some notes to review to help get on track with the rest of the class. He said I should just try my best with my homework this week, so he can see where I am."

Yuki's teacher had pulled him aside and told him that as he'd scored so high he was sure he wouldn't need any remedial work. His work was expected to be on par with the rest of the students in class. "I'll help you if you need it."

Tooru gave him a sweet smile as the stopped in front of their door. "I know." She almost tipped up on her toes to give him a kiss, but at the last second remembered that someone might be watching. She glanced around.

Yuki didn't notice, turning to open the door and let her enter first.

The apartment was dark and for a moment Yuki thought that Kyou had gone out. The futon was put away and the table in its place. But there were feet sticking out past it.

"Kyou-kun?" Tooru stepped around the table. The cat was sprawled in front of the window with his pillow and a blanket. He lay on the edge of the carpet and had the curtains open wide to get any bit of light left in the sky. "Kyou-kun shouldn't be laying on the floor... he should have left the futon out and stayed in bed."

Kyou sat up, his hair sticking out in all directions. He yawned and shrugged. "I didn't want to stay in bed all day." He'd put the futon away when the rain had stopped. Once he'd put the futon away he'd been hit with another wave of fatigue and had ended up crashing again on the floor.

"Did you eat your lunch?" Tooru asked, peeping in his lunch box. Half of the food was still there.

"Some of it, I liked the fish balls." Kyou put his hands in his lap, "I wasn't very hungry."

Tooru frowned and knelt next to him. She put her forehead to his. "You don't feel warm anymore. Do you still not feel well?"

"I felt better once the rain stopped." Kyou assured her, pulling back to look at her, more awake now. There was something off about her. "Don't worry about me, how was school?"

"Fine!" Tooru said brightly. She couldn't tell Kyou how disappointing it had been. "It was fun. I like my teacher, his name is Nagashima." She moved back and stood. "I'd better put away these left overs and wash out the box. I'm going to make lunch again tomorrow... We'll have to go grocery shopping now that I know we can use the kitchens downstairs. We can save a lot of money by making lunch."

"Oi-" Kyou said watching her bustle around the room with his box and taking hers out of her bag.

"I'll be back in just a minute. Yuki-kun, can I have your box? I will be easier if I wash them all at once."

"Sure," Yuki said and handed it to her. She took it and disappeared into the bathroom.

Kyou watched her with a wrinkled brow. He cast a look at Yuki who was just sitting down at the other side of the table. He wanted to ask him what was up, because the Rat had been there most of the day.

Yuki took his books out of his bag, and flipped open his notebook. He could feel Kyou's eyes on him and looked up. Kyou was glaring; he quickly looked away and then felt stupid for doing so.

"She have a bad day?" Kyou asked. The Rat was pissing him off more and more. He'd said himself that they had to work as a team and take care of her. Maybe now that everyone was pairing them up the Rat didn't see a need to keep him in the loop.

"Mm... I … um," Yuki stuttered. This was getting ridiculous. He should be able to manage one simple exchange with Kyou. But the longer they'd gone without speaking the more the thought of it overwhelmed him. Now it was like he didn't know how to be _normal_ around Kyou anymore, he kept second-guessing his words and he couldn't get anything out.

"Do Kyou-kun or Yuki-kun want anything special for lunch?" Tooru asked coming out of the bathroom with a stack of freshly washed and dried bento boxes. "I'll have to start watching the stores and see when things go on sale."

"Anything is fine," Yuki said quickly, thankful she'd returned.

"Oi!" Kyou slammed his hand down on the table and the both of them jumped. "You were the one who said no secrets!" He was tired of being left out. "What the hell happened today?"

"I don't-" Tooru started, and nervously put the bento boxes on top of the fridge while giving him a wary look.

"Something is wrong," Kyou said eyes flicking over her face as if cataloging the secrets written there. "You're upset. What happened?"

Tooru looked down. "I'm sorry," she apologized, "I didn't want to upset Kyou-kun, because he already wasn't feeling well and has been doing so much..." She gave him an agonized look. "I really am happy to be back at school. It's just..."

"C'mere," Kyou said gesturing her over. Tooru sat down next to him, twisting her hands in the skirt above her knees. "Here," he pulled her close in one of their special hugs, holding her to his shoulder smoothing a hand down her back in a soothing gesture. "Just tell me."

"Tanaka-san told everyone about Yuki and I and kept making jokes," Tooru said into his shoulder. "All the girls keep giggling and whispering, and some asked really embarrassing questions." The boys in school just stared and whispered. She really didn't like the way that some of them looked at her. She nuzzled into Kyou's shoulder. "And I _missed_ Kyou-kun." He would have glared at them and made them stop.

"Yeah, well, that's stupid," Kyou muttered into her hair. "I was right here waiting for you."

Tooru nodded into his shoulder. "I know... but..."

"I'm sorry it wasn't as good as you wanted," Kyou soothed, he drew back a little and tilted her head up so he could look at her eyes. "You gonna be okay?"

"Yes," Tooru said truthfully and rested her hands on his hips, leaning forward just a smidgen so that she could rest more of herself against his arm. "It just wasn't what I expected."

Kyou snorted, brushing his fingers through her hair. Tooru shifted so that she was sitting more by his side then in front and put her arms around his neck resting all of her weight on him. She put her head back on his shoulder, liking that she was able to snuggle with him this way. Kyou blushed to feel her chest press into his arm and ducked his chin into her hair, and kissed the shell of her ear.

Tooru closed her eyes and sighed.

"Honda-san made a shopping list for groceries, didn't she?" Yuki stood and grabbed up her backpack, searching for her notebook. He found the page he'd seen her write out at lunch and tore it out. "Why don't I go pick up these things while you're...um... resting."

"That can wait-" Tooru started lifting her head to look at him, brow furrowed.

"But you wanted to make lunch tomorrow, didn't you? This will make it easier." Yuki was already backing towards the door with the notepaper in his hand.

"But-" Tooru started again, glancing at Kyou.

"I won't be long. I'll be back before dinner," Yuki said and escaped from their intimacy.

Tooru sighed and rested her head back on Kyou's shoulder. She peeked up at him and he was watching her. His eyes had lit with a slow burn and Tooru ducked her chin. She wasn't surprised when he lifted her chin again, this time to give her an insistent kiss.

Her eyes fluttered closed, and she tried not to wish for more then she had or more then they'd generously given her.

::0::0::

"Tooru-chan, you aren't going to eat with us?"

Tooru looked at Yuki, trying to get him to read her mind and suggest they eat outside. It was a beautiful spring day, dry and warm enough to enjoy. As an added bonus, she wouldn't have to deal with Akane-Number-One and her group of girls.

"I don't mind." Yuki smiled and gestured for her to take a seat among the arranged desks.

"Thank you," Tooru said and took a seat, trying not to sigh. Yuki sat next to her and they both took out their lunch boxes.

"Wow," Akane said twirling a curl around one finger. "Just onigiri and pickles again?" she asked peering into Yuki's lunch box. "Here, why don't you take one of my hot dogs? That can't be very filling." She held up a little wiener dog shaped to look like an octopus.

"Tooru-san's rice balls are one of my favorites," Yuki demurred with a shake of his head. He looked at Tooru and smiled. "What is the filling today?"

"I tried the carrot salad that Yuki-kun liked so much," Tooru nibbled at her own rice ball. Tomorrow she'd make them something different. It would mean having to take a trip to the grocery store, but tomorrow Yuki's lunch would be lavish.

"Yuki-kun, would you mind looking over my math homework?" Akane asked, pulling out a notebook. She gave a flutter of her lashes. "I'm just _hopeless_ at math. And you're so smart, I'm sure I'd understand it if you explain it to me."

"Of course," Yuki nodded and leaned over to look at the notebook. Akane leaned forward and put her hand on the back of his chair, leaning over until their shoulders nearly brushed. Yuki glanced at her, face flitting quickly through a frown before smoothing out again.

"Is that today's homework?" Tooru said starting to lean forward too. Yuki had gone over it with her last night, but she could always use more math review.

"Tooru-chan!" Tsubaki interrupted after a quick look from Akane. "Do you want to go shopping with us after class?"

"Shopping?" Tooru blinked.

"Yeah!" The long haired Akane, Number Two, chimed in when Tsubaki kicked her under the desk. "We were going clothes shopping, and maybe get something to eat. You should totally come!"

"Oh, but I-" Tooru glanced at Yuki, she hadn't gone anywhere without one of the boys since they'd moved here. And she didn't need any clothes, and eating out seemed like such an extravagance. Plus, that also meant there was a good chance that Yuki and Kyou would left alone in the apartment, and dinner. They still weren't talking, so she wasn't sure if that was a good idea.

"Don't be so boring, Tooru-chan," Tsubaki scolded. "You never do anything but go straight home! The dorms can't be that interesting."

"They aren't," Number Two snorted.

"Don't you like us?" Akane drummed manicured nails against the table. "You never come out when we invite you." She pouted at Yuki and leaned into whisper in his ear, loud enough for the whole group to hear. "Isn't she awfully clingy?"

Tooru knew she wasn't the smartest girl, but she was aware of what Akane was doing. She wasn't particularly threatened by the girl's advances on Yuki, knowing with certainty that they would never be returned. But the girl wouldn't stop trying, and even when Yuki wasn't around often tried to make Tooru seem flawed. She didn't want to spend a single moment in her presence more than she needed to.

"I think it sounds like fun," Yuki said, completely missing Tooru's quick, shocked look. She bit back a frown, covering it with her onigiri. Yuki smiled at Tooru, and she took another bite. She hated, hated, hated his fake smile! "You should go."

"Come on," Number Two smiled. "I promise it'll be fun. Live a little!" She was the friendliest out of Akane's little bunch of girls. "The cafe we go to has the yummiest desserts, and you'll get to meet some of the girls from the other classes. Everyone's coming."

"Everyone who's anyone is coming," Tsubaki corrected.

"I'll think about it," Tooru hedged, hoping to come up with a way to wiggle out of it before the end of the day. She sat back in her chair and let Akane monopolize Yuki's attention, which had been the girl's main goal.

She munched on her pickles and let her mind wander. She planned what she would do for tomorrow's lunch and what she would need to buy. Perhaps she could use grocery shopping to excuse her from the shopping trip. They'd decided that since Urishima had already expressed her dislike for them, that they wouldn't risk breaking any of the rules by getting a hotplate. Being allowed to use the dorm kitchen was an unexpected boon. She felt ready to stretch her cooking wings. She was getting used to getting up early and the cafeteria ladies were being very nice, though they mostly ignored her.

"Sato-kun, time to head back to your classroom," Nagashima said, striding back into his podium. "You don't want to be late."

"Yes, sir." Yuki stood and quickly gathered his bento together. Akane pouted and closed her notebook. Tooru stood and followed him, ignoring Abe's now standard wolf-whistle.

"I'll see Yuki-kun after school," Tooru said, wishing she could at least grip his hand.

"I really think you should try going out with Akane and the others," Yuki said. He glanced at the girl who gave a little wave. Little gems on the tips of her nails winked at them. Tooru looked up at him in askance. "I just think that you should meet more people. Number Two said there would be others there." Seeing he wasn't convincing her he bent down to whisper in her ear. "Didn't Honda-san say that her mother wanted her to go to school because of the relationships people build there?"

She'd only spoken about it a million times; her mother's views on school. Having it thrown back in her face now just made her feel guilty. She ducked her head and stroked her bracelet. Her mother had wanted her to be the kind of person who believed in the goodness of others. She sighed, perhaps she hadn't really given Akane and her friends a chance. They just seemed so _shallow_.

"Okay," Tooru nodded. "But I want to say goodbye to Yuki-kun after school."

"Sato-kun, I don't want to hear from Yamato that you were late to class," Nagashima called. "And Tooru-kun, you'll have plenty of time to talk to Sato later, back to your seat now."

"Yes, Sensei." Tooru gave Yuki a little wave and trotted back to her seat. Morikawa slid in the door just after Yuki left. Tooru smiled at her as she passed her desk, but the girl just gave her a glance and acted as if she didn't see it.

Tooru liked when class was in session. She hadn't lied when she said that she liked her homeroom teacher. He taught history and was passionate about it. He made it all seem like a grand adventure, even the boring bits. It was also easy to forget her worries when she was in class, even the science classes at least kept her mind off Kyou and Yuki's silent fight, what was going on back at the Sohma complex, the girls in class and Morikawa's strange distance. She opened her notebook and let the day drift away, class by class.

"Focus, Miss Sato, you need this review."

Tooru looked up at Yamato-sensei, the chemistry teacher. She thought she _had_ been focusing. She just didn't understand this part.

"Yes, sir." Tooru stopped flipping her books pages where she'd been trying to find the formula he had written up on the board. She didn't understand why they called it _chemistry_ if all they ever seemed to do were math problems.

"Stand please, Miss Sato." Tooru stood and Yamato stalked quickly over to her. He looked her up and down, and didn't look pleased. "Are you feeling lost, Miss Sato?"

Tooru ducked her head and then glanced at the teacher. The mustard yellow sweater vest he was wearing made him look sallow and ill, and he deep frown on his face wasn't helping either. She didn't especially like the way he emphasized the _Miss_ he added when he called her name. It felt strange, like was implying something she wasn't catching.

"Yes, sir," she said, trying to sound confident. "I was just trying to find this formula in the book."

"Page 57, Miss Sato." Yamato tapped his book. "This should be basic!"

"I'm sorry, Sensei." When in doubt, Tooru apologized. She wasn't sure what the teacher wanted or had him so upset.

"I understand you distract Yuki with your remedial studies, expecting him to explain everything to you." The curl of his lip showed clearly what he thought of that.

"Yuki-kun does help me," Tooru confirmed hesitantly, wondering how he knew about that and getting more and more confused by this conversation. She glanced at the rest of the class. There was a mixture of reactions, sympathy, confusion and in a couple of cases, ill-concealed amusement.

"I don't want to see you dragging down my best student," Yamato snapped. "Yuki has great potential, and will go far if he isn't held back by unfortunate circumstances."

Tooru didn't respond. She didn't know what to say to something like that.

"Do you understand?" Yamato snapped.

Tooru glanced around quickly, licking her lips nervously. "Yes?" she said finally.

The man huffed. "Is that a question or an answer, Miss Sato?"

"An answer." Tooru had to fight to make her voice sound confident since she was completely lost about what the man was trying to say.

"Glad we understand each other," Yamato sneered. He looked around the rest of the room. "Morikawa!"

"Yes sir!" Morikawa jumped up from her seat.

"The packets," he sniffed and gestured with his chin to a stack of papers by the teacher's desk. "Please distribute them."

"Yes sir." Morikawa hustled down the isle, and Tooru gratefully sank into her seat.

"I expect every page of this packet to be filled in by tomorrow," Yamato said stalking through the isles.

There was a hearty groan as the students looked at the booklet, a the pages were crowded with tiny type and two columns of questions, at least five pages worth.

"No complaining!" Yamato barked. "This should all be review!"

"Ooph!"

"Morikawa-san!" Tooru rushed out of her seat to help the girl get up. She'd stumbled and half the classes packets were now scattered across the floor. "Are you okay?"

Morikawa gave an unsteady look behind her, looking for what had caused her to stumble but without her glasses it was obvious she couldn't really see. Tooru picked them up before the other girl could step on them. "I'm fine," Morikawa said putting her glasses on. She started to scrabble for the packets nearest her.

"It's this kind of careless lack of attention that got you dropped from my class," Yamato said looking down his nose at Morikawa.

"I'm sorry sir." Morikawa gave a little bow as she stood, taking the rest of the papers from Tooru. "It won't happen again."

"See that it doesn't." Yamato turned to the front and Morikawa started back down the isle with the packets while Tooru sat back in her seat.

"Oh, careful," Tooru said, noticing Tsubaki's foot had edged out into the row and Morikawa was too flustered to notice.

Morikawa followed her gaze and looked up at Tsubaki.

"Oh, sorry, my bad... I have long legs," she made a show of adjusting her seat so that her feet poked into the isle on the other side.

A couple of girls giggled, and Tooru's brow furrowed. She wasn't getting the joke.

"It's okay," Morikawa mumbled and handed Tsubaki a packet. She finished giving out the packets without incident and slid back into her seat. Tooru tried to catch her eye, but the other girl didn't look up for the rest of the class.

At the end of class Number Two quickly hopped over to Tooru's desk. "So you're coming right? Right?"

"Of course she's coming!" Akane said with a wiggle of her fingers. Tsubaki and a couple of some girls trailed her, looking at Tooru expectantly.

Tooru glanced around, almost all the girls in class seemed to be coming. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all. She saw Morikawa starting for the door and called out.

"Morikawa-san, are you coming too?"

Morikawa froze like a deer in headlights. She pushed her glasses up and gave a quick look between Tooru and Akane. "Um, oh, I, uh... have homework."

"Tooru-chan," Tsubaki said, sharing a glance with Akane, "I said everybody who's _anybody_ would be coming. Why would we want a nobody like her around?"

"That's not very-" Tooru started, distressed to see that Morikawa had already left.

"Oh, Morikawa never wants to come along on these kind of things," Number Two interrupted. "You wouldn't want to make her uncomfortable, would you?"

"Well, no... but-" Tooru hesitated.

"Isn't Yuki-kun waiting for you?" Number Two reminded. "Come, let's go say goodbye..." She practically dragged Tooru out of the classroom. "We'll meet you guys at the gate!" She called over her shoulder at the other girls.

"Tooru-chan!" Number Two hissed as they hit the hallway. "Don't you get it? Akane and Morikawa don't get along! You'll just make trouble for Morikawa if you keep bugging her like that!"

"Trouble?" Tooru repeated.

"Are you going?" Yuki asked, standing by the door of his classroom.

"Yes," Tooru said resignedly. She looked up and gave him a faint smile. "It looks like it will be fun." If she could keep herself away from Akane and Tsubaki, there was a possibility. The other girls seemed so much friendlier when they weren't there.

"Ah, then you'll need some money," Yuki said, digging into his back pocket. Since he'd been doing a lot of the shopping for errands, he'd taken to carrying the money wallet. He pulled out some bills. "Is this enough?"

"Plenty!" Tooru said, trying to hand some back. "I'm sure I won't need this much."

"Keep it until you get home," Yuki demurred. "You don't know, you might see something you want. And you may be eating out."

"Come on, Tooru-chan!" Number Two said impatiently. "We don't want to miss everybody!" She danced a little in place and then started down the hallway. "I'll make sure they don't go without us."

"Yes!" Tooru called and started to follow Number Two before she changed her mind and decided to cling to Yuki and refuse to leave. "Ah!" She called over her shoulder. "Since I might not be back for dinner, please make sure that Kyou-kun goes down to dinner tonight. He skipped yesterday!"

She missed the pole-axed look on Yuki's face as she chased Number Two through the hallway.

::0::0::

Kyou glanced out the front window. The walkway was almost clear of returning students. He tried to peer as far down the path as he could without pressing his face to the glass.

He frowned. Where were Tooru and the Rat? They always came right back after class. He huffed. It wasn't like they had plans or anything, but usually they'd come home and the Rat'd make himself scarce for a couple of hours while Tooru told him about her day.

He felt his ears start to burn and a slight smile touched his lips. He didn't really let her talk for very long though. He figured he deserved it. He left her alone with the Rat plenty of times, it was only fair. He sat back at the table and tried to relax the muscles between his shoulder blades.

He really wanted to see her today. He'd had another round of washouts today looking for work. He'd concentrated on dish-washing and night jobs and still couldn't find anything. This time it was his age that was working against him. Most of the people who worked the kind of jobs he was qualified for were older. And he'd been right in choosing places that didn't have a lot of dress-code requirements not having a problem with his hair, but that meant that a lot scarier people then him showed up for the jobs too.

He'd been chased away from two potential jobs just by the evil stares, another had looked so shady he hadn't even gone in. The few respectable places had already hired someone or wanted someone older, bigger, stronger looking or some other quality that he didn't have.

"Argh!" Kyou grimaced and stood again, and walked back to the window. He twitched the curtain aside and looked down the path. "Dammit, where are they?"

There were a couple of times the Rat had let her come down the path on her own, and gone straight out looking for work himself. But at least she should be home by now. He paced away from the window and then back again, checking one more time. He'd thought for just a second as he turned that he might have seen something.

After another pace around the room he decided to walk down the path and look down the street. It wasn't like was worried or desperate, or anything. At least, that's what he told himself. He just wanted to stretch his legs. He'd been sitting around the apartment for two hours now waiting for them and he was just antsy. That was all!

He threw the door open with a frustrated bang and stepped out into the hallway. He froze when he realized he wasn't alone."Ah."

"Sato-san..." Morikawa looked at him with wide eyes from the top of the stairs, startled by crash of his door and his dramatic exit. "Good afternoon," she said after a second.

"Ah, yeah," Kyou felt his ears and the back of his neck start to burn in embarrassment. "Good afternoon."

She hesitated a minute more, seeming just as surprised that he'd greeted her politely as she had been by his exit. She glanced around then nodded to him and started down the hall to her room. Kyou started towards the stairs, but hesitated at the top. The girl was in Tooru's class wasn't she?

"Oi." He watched as the girl's steps hesitated a moment, but she didn't glance back. "Morikawa...san." he added the honorific to try to forestall any meltdown that would prevent him from getting the answers he wanted.

Morikawa stopped and seemed to take a deep breath before she turned around. She gave a very forced smile. "Is there something you need, Sato-san?"

"Uh, Tooru... and the Ra...er, Yuki... um," he tried to figure out how to ask about Tooru. Would it be weird if he was asking just about his supposed brother's girlfriend?

"Ah, Sato-kun hasn't come home yet either?" Morikawa seemed to be able to interpret his gibberish to his relief. "Tooru-kun was going to go out shopping with some girls from class. I'm not sure where Sato-kun went." She tugged on her hair.

"Shopping?" Kyou repeated.

"Tooru-kun did, yes," Morikawa said, adjusting her glasses. "But Sato-kun didn't go with them." She gave a longing look over her shoulder at her door, before looking back at him. "Um, w-was there anything else you needed Sato-san?"

"Oi, that's pretty confusing with the "Sato-san" and "Sato-kun" stuff," Kyou said. "Nobody calls me "san." Just cut it out and call me Kyou."

"I'm sorry if I've been bothering you-" Morikawa said quickly.

"Man, you're just like her," Kyou said, scratching at his head and avoiding her gaze. He hoped he hadn't scared the girl off completely. If she didn't turn up at meals anymore it'd be his fault. "Its not about being bothered, its just about making things simpler."

"Her...?" Morikawa asked.

"Tooru, she did the same thing when I told her to call me by my name." The corner of his mouth quirked up as he gave a little grin at the memory. He put his hands on his hips and rocked a bit in place. "Then she made an idiot of herself by trying it out for no reason."

"Trying it out?" Morikawa said. She'd never seen the elder Sato smile before. It really changed him.

"Yeah, she called it out a bunch of times." Kyou looked out over the courtyard. A couple of people were wandering across to the non-dorm section. "She can be really weird."

"But she's very sweet," Morikawa said. "She's nice to everyone."

"Yeah." Kyou crossed his arms, then slanted a look back at her. "Thanks, by the way."

"Aa-ah!" She frantically waved a hand from side to side, ducking her head in a slight bow. "It was nothing, I wasn't even able to tell you where your brother went."

"No, not for that." Kyou looked directly at her and Morikawa swallowed. When he wasn't glaring, but just looking at you with those unusual eyes, it was startling. "For eating with us and stuff. I know there are a lot of rumors going around, and she's been really upset. Its meant a lot to her."

"It... really wasn't anything," Morikawa said, trying not to goggle. She couldn't recall if Kyou had said more then two words to _anyone _since his family moved in two weeks ago. She never thought he even noticed her, much less that she'd been putting in an effort.

"I know I ain't the easiest person to be around," Kyou shrugged. "And the Rat can be hard to take in his own way."

"R-rat?" Morikawa repeated, adjusting her glasses.

"Oh, uh," Kyou's cheeks colored slightly, looking away from her and scratching at his hair. "It's kind of a family nickname for my brother." He could just hear Hiroki's laughter all the way from Mai's restaurant. Was it strange to have nicknames for a brother? The Rat's real brother called him names, didn't he? But then, the snake was absolutely not who he wanted to emulate.

"That's so strange," Morikawa blurted with a giggle. "It doesn't suit him at all!"

"You think so?" Kyou said, startled by her laughter. He looked out across the yard again, the sun was going to set soon. "It feels like the perfect name for him to me."

"Does Tooru-kun call him that too?" Morikawa hadn't heard her, and she couldn't imagine it. Tooru was just too polite. "And his mother?" A mother calling her son "Rat," it just wasn't cute at all! And for such a handsome, delicate person!

"Ah, no," Kyou felt his cheeks burning. "I, uh, guess it's just a name I have for him really."

"I guess it's an older brother's prerogative to tease their younger siblings." Morikawa smiled. "I won't share the nicknames mine has for me."

"You have an older brother?" Kyou said, mostly to be polite. He was pretty sure this was the longest conversation he'd had with someone besides Tooru since he'd left the Mai's... maybe before that too. It was kind of nice.

"And a younger one," Morikawa nodded. "It gives me an interesting perspective. Don't tease your brother too much, it can be rough if nicknames get picked up by the wrong people." She gave a sigh.

"Sounds like-" Kyou started.

"Help! Oh, God! Oh, Man! Morikawa! Morikawa! Help!"

Morikawa and Kyou turned towards the stairs, a soaking wet girl came up the stairs, her bellbottom jeans slapping at her legs.

"Maya? What's wrong?" Morikawa stepped around Kyou to run over to the girl.

"The sink! The sink! The faucet broke! There is water _everywhere!_" The girl sobbed, she pushed her sopping wet short hair out of her face.

"Again! I've told you before, if it's something mechanical you have to go to Urishima! I can't do anything." She grabbed the girl's hand, "Come on, I'll come with you and explain-"

The girl tugged her hand out of Morikawa's grip. "I _tried_ that! She wasn't there! What do I do!"

"Ahh," Morikawa danced in place, "Um, oh," She looked around, "uh- her emergency number! I have it in my room!"

"Oi! Oi!" Kyou snapped. The girls froze and stared at him. He put his hands on his hips and stared the girls down. "Before that we should get the water shut off!"

"But I don't know how!" Wailed Maya.

"You have to use the stop tap!" Kyou stamped his foot.

"The what?" Maya sniffled.

"It's under the sink-" Seeing the girl's eyes widen he growled, "Never mind! Just show me!" Kyou pointed down the stairs.

"Yes!" Maya bolted down the steps and Kyou followed her. He glanced behind him just enough to see Morikawa was following.

When they stepped on the second landing they immediately stepped into a puddle of water. It was immediately obvious where the problem was by the stream of water tricking out the door of the communal girl's bathroom.

"Maya! I can't believe you did it again!" A girl stood outside the apartment door next to the leaking bathroom. "It's all coming in my room!"

"I'm sorry!" Maya cried. "Its not like I meant to do it!"

"Oh! I better check with Manase-kun below you!" Morikawa whirled and started down the last flight of stairs. "I'll be back in a minute."

"This way!" Maya said waving Kyou forward.

Kyou hesitated on the threshold, this was a girl's bathroom after all. "There ain't anyone in there, is there?"

"No, no!" Maya said quickly looking around. "It's clear, please _hurry."_

Kyou sloshed his way through the water, which was almost an inch deep in the recessed floor of the bathroom. There was a line of sinks and shower heads for rinsing off along one wall, and couple of the soup pots this building liked to call baths along the other side. The toilet stalls were separated by a short waist high wall and were enclosed in individual stalls. The set up was about as strange as the one in their apartment, and Kyou figured it had been shoehorned into the building years after it had been built.

"See!" Maya ran over to a sink and pointed to a faucet that was merrily spraying water where the cold tap handle should be. She gestured to the handle sitting in the bowl of the sink under water. "It just fell off and everything started spraying!"

Grimacing at the thought of getting wetter in the icy water, Kyou dropped to his knees by the sink. It was dark underneath and he couldn't see what he was looking for. "Hey, got a cellphone?"

"Yes?" The girl dug it out and held it to him.

Kyou flipped it open and held it under the sink, out of the stream of water illuminating the workings of the sink. "Dammit!"

"What? Can't you turn it off?" Maya had tears pouring down her face. "Oh, god, what am I going to do? Urishima is going to kick me out of the building for this!"

"Calm down!" Kyou barked, scowling. He hated the feeling of his pants soaking up the moisture on the floor and drawing it up his legs. "I can turn it off! It's just in a bad spot, so I have to lay down in the water to get to it."

"So you won't?" the girl sniffled.

"I didn't say I wouldn't!" Kyou yelled, and regretted it when the girl jumped. He sighed and groused, "Doesn't mean I have to be happy about it though. Here, make yourself useful and hold the phone, here- so I can see."

The girl reluctantly dropped to her knees and held the phone were he directed, keeping the screen bright so he could see the knob he needed. Kyou made another face and then lay on his back in the water and pushed himself along the floor under the sink until he had a good angle on the knob. It was awkward, but he got a good grip started to turn. In minutes the water was slowing, until it became just a trickle and then was gone.

"Oh, you got it off!" Morikawa sloshed her way into the bathroom. "Thank goodness!

Maya stood and got out of the way and then Kyou slid himself out and got quickly out of the water. He gave himself a shake, muttering foul things under his breath.

"Maya," Morikawa fished the tap handle out of the sink, "how did this happen, _again_? This is the second sink you broke!"

"I didn't do anything!" Maya cried. "Honest!" She sat on the edge of a tub and wrung her hands, looked up at Kyou and Morikawa with big, pleading eyes. "I used the sink to wash my hands, and then turned it off. But the cold water was dripping around the handle a bit so I tried to tighten it. Then it just-Woosh!" She gestured a spray of water, "Water everywhere!"

She buried her head in her hands. "What am I going to do? Urishima is going to make me pay for the plumber again! But I'm broke, there's no way I can pay! She'll kick me out!"

"Gimme that," Kyou muttered, taking the tap handle from Morikawa "This just threads on..." he muttered. He hadn't done much plumbing work with Enoki, but this he knew some from when he lived with Shishou. They'd maintained the dojo themselves, and with a bunch of rough men things tended to get broken.

He looked at the sink handle brushing where the handle usually would have sat with a finger. "I see what's wrong," he said under his breath. "Oi, I can fix this for you." He called to Maya. "If you can get the water cleared up, I don't see why the old bat has to know."

"R-really?" Maya stuttered, jumping up and splashing the water. "Seriously?"

"How?" Morikawa asked. "We can't just do a temporary fix, then it'll just break for the next person and they'll be blamed instead. That's not fair."

"No, see.. here..." he picked off a thick fleck of black something. "This is a piece of a rubber washer. It goes between the handle and the water. It's what makes a seal, and keeps water from leaking around the edges. But they don't last forever, this one just wore out and crumbled to pieces." He wiped his hands together to brush them off. "They cost next to nothing. We put a new one on and re-thread the handle on, it'll be good as new." He cast a critical eye at the line of sinks. "You should probably get new ones for all the handles, if that one's gone the rest are probably close to going too."

He looked at Maya and thrust his hands in his pockets. "You buy the washers, I'll install 'em."

"That sounds like a good plan," Morikawa said. "Now, some of this water has probably caused problems for the other tenants. But if we offer to help them clean it up I'm sure they'll keep their complaints to themselves, I'll go around with you an explain. They all know what Urishima is like."

"Thank you so much!" Maya sniffled to them both. "How do I know what washers to buy?"

Kyou looked at the sink he'd shut the water off to. Shrugging he pulled gave the hot water tap a hard twist, and then completely un-threaded it. He flipped it over and carefully pried a torn and crumbling washer out of the handle. "Just tell 'em to get you ones like this." He looked around the bathroom. "I'd clean up the water first." He shivered, his whole back was dripping and his clothes were soaked. He glanced at the floor, there were drains but they looked clogged with bits of paper and hair. "This should be draining more... clear the drains and most of it will go away on its own."

"We can handle that," Morikawa said. "Maya? Why don't you go get some mops from the cleaning closet?" The girl nodded and took off. Morikawa looked up at Kyou. "You've done plenty. Why don't you go clean up? This is going to take us until at least after dinner." She sighed. "We might have to wait until tomorrow to get the washers... and have you put them in then." She smoothed back some hair that had escaped from her ponytail. "I don't know how we're going to clean this all up, especially the water in people's apartments."

"Ask Tooru when she gets back," Kyou suggested, wringing out a tail of his shirt of the excess water. "She's really good at this kind of stuff. She helped clean up a bunch of people's houses back in our old town, after the typhoon. She can save almost anything."

"You don't think she'd mind?" Morikawa asked.

"She likes to help." Kyou shrugged, plucking at his clothes trying to keep the sodden clothes from dripping. He had a sudden thought and tried to look at his back, craning over his shoulder. The communal bathroom floor couldn't be too clean judging by the drains. Had he ruined _another _set of clothes? He shuffled over a bit to try to get a look in one of the mirrors over the sink. "Oh crap!"

"Erm, Kyou-kun?" Morikawa wondered at the boy's sudden panic.

"My shirt! Oh man, she's going to be so _pissed._" He looked down his reflection, "My pants too! Crap!"

"Who is?" Morikawa asked craning a bit to look at his back. His his whole back was streaked with faint brackish marks where he'd rubbed against the tile floor.

"Tooru! This is is the second set of new clothes I've ruined!"

"I can't imagine Tooru-chan getting mad," Morikawa's brows wrinkled in confusion.

Kyou sighed and ran his hands through his hair, the dampness of them making his hair stand on end. "Well, not mad... but she just gets really, really quiet and kind of...sad..." He sighed. Could this day get any worse? "Crap."

"I don't think they're ruined," Morikawa said reassuringly. "I'll wash them for you, to return the favor for helping Maya and I out. She wouldn't even have to know."

"Really?" Kyou asked, and his face lit with hope. "Do you think you could get this stuff out?"

Tooru had spent hours scrubbing at his other shirt trying to get the sap out, and had finally given up. She hadn't gotten mad like the night Yuki had stressed his back. She'd just gotten really depressed and kept casting disappointed looks at porch where the clothes were soaking in a bucket. Then _she_ had apologized to _him_ for not being able to save them.

"Go change," Morikawa said adjusting her glasses and waving to Maya who was coming in with the bucket. "Just leave them outside my room." She avoided looking back up at him, he was really disarming when he wasn't being angry.

"Thanks." Kyou looked at Maya, "Just let me know when you've got the washers, it'll only take me a few minutes to get them in."

"O-okay..." Maya looked up at Kyou, blushing. "Um, your hair... you've... you've got a little-" She gestured with her fingers around her head.

Kyou looked at himself in the mirror. His hair was sticking up in all directions like a porcupine. He smoothed down his hair, as his cheeks burning. "Thanks," he muttered and escaped the bathroom.

::0::0::

Most of the girls were clustered around the jewelry tables looking at the sparkling bracelets, necklaces, earrings and hair accessories. They were giggling and trying to convince each other to splurge on this trinket or that trinket.

Tooru smiled. She was glad she came. It was fun to watch the other girls have fun. It felt normal. She looked back at the clothing rack. She was the only one who'd wandered over to the menswear section, so she was keeping an eye on the group to make sure she didn't get separated. She at least had to keep an eye on Number Two, she wasn't sure if she'd be able to find her way back to the dorm alone.

She didn't need anything for herself, but after his tree-climbing incident Kyou needed at least one new shirt. If she was going to shop she'd shop for something useful.

"What are you doing all the way over here, Tooru-chan?" Akane grinned.

"Oh, just looking," Tooru said, and moved a few more shirts around.

"Something for your hubby-to-be?" Akane plucked at one of the shirt sleeves. "_So_ not Yuki's style."

How would she know what his style was? She'd never seen him in anything but a school uniform. "Oh, no, not for Yuki," Tooru smiled. "Kyou-kun needs a new shirt."

"The brother?" Tooru didn't like the curl on her lip. "He makes you do his shopping?"

"He doesn't make me," Tooru explained. "I want to." She wanted to say more but stopped, worried that she'd say too much. She wasn't good with lies, and if she made up something new she was afraid she'd forget to tell Yuki and Kyou later on.

"You're just little miss home-maker!" Akane said with false cheer and a shake of her curls. "Doesn't it get boring?"

"Boring?" Tooru repeated. If there was one way to describe her life, boring would not be it. "No, not really," she said with a genuine smile.

"Find anything?" Number Two skipped over. "The girls were talking about going over Kimi's."

"Who's Kimi?" Tooru asked, happy to squirm out of a conversation with Akane. She'd taken every opportunity to express her sympathy in Tooru's status as being "trapped." Since Yuki wasn't responding to her charms, she was now trying to convince Tooru that she didn't want to be engaged at seventeen. Of course, her mother had been both married and a mother at her age so she didn't think she was doing too badly.

"Kimi isn't a who, it's a where. Kimi's Home Cafe. " Number Two grinned. "Best. Cake. Ever."

"I'm up for Kimi's," Akane said with a shrug and started off towards the other girls. "Shopping is getting boring. No one has anything new."

"I got this really cute hairclip." Number Two produced a little paper bag. "I'll show you at Kimi's."

"Is it very expensive?" Tooru asked.

"The clip?" Number Two looked at the bag. "Not really."

"No! Oh No!" Tooru blushed, she'd never ask what someone _spent_ on something. "I meant Kimi's."

"If it was, do you think us poor dorm students would be going?" Number Two laughed, and threaded her arm around Tooru's.

The gaggle of girls had shrunk before they got to Kimi's with some girls heading off to homes and others to other burger joints or shopping destinations. The party still had to be broken off into three tables at the little western-style family eatery and Tooru was relieved not to be seated with Akane or Tsubaki, though disappointed that Number Two went to sit with them.

Akane seemed to be the queen bee of the grade, with Tsubaki a close second. Number Two was among three or four others who seemed to make up the most powerful girl clique in school and they all sat at the same table. One of the other girls from Tooru's class gestured her over when she saw she didn't have a place to sit.

"I don't think we had a chance to officially meet before," the girl said with a smile. She had pretty chocolate hair that fell down in waves across her back. Tooru wished her hair could be that thick. "I'm Eiko, we're in the same class."

"Yes, I remember." Tooru nodded. "You sit near the front." She admired her hair everyday. She looked at the other girl. Her face was broad and square, and she had a wide mouth that looked best when she was smiling. Tooru thought she'd probably be prettier if she wore her hair down instead of in the tight small ponytail she had it in. But she like the flower on the hairband.

"I'm Umi," the other girl at the table said. "You're the class B transfer everyone is talking about. You really live with your boyfriend?"

Tooru felt her cheeks begin to heat. "Oh, well-"

"That's so rude Umi!" Eiko interrupted. She giggled, "Especially since I told you that already."

"Yeah, but I don't believe you." Umi shrugged. "You get things wrong all the time."

"I do," Tooru said and the girls looked back at her. "With him and his brother, in the dorms." With a sigh she answered a lot of the questions she got most often before Umi could ask them. "Yuki-kun is the class A transfer. Kyou-kun works." Or would soon, but that took too long to explain. "I have my own room. My mother passed away last year, and that's when I moved in with Yuki-kun's family, but we dated before that. We-"

"I'm sorry," Umi interrupted. "You've been getting this a lot, huh? Questions and stuff?"

"Yes," Tooru said with a smile. "But my situation is unusual. Yuki-kun keeps telling me people will get used to us after a while, and Kyou-kun said that once they saw how boring I was people would stop gossiping."

"It's not very nice to call you boring," Eiko frowned. "I've heard Yuki-kun's brother is kind of a jerk, sounds like that rumor was right."

"Oh, he's not at all!" Tooru protested. "Kyou-kun is very sweet. He's always trying his hardest to make me feel better. He looks after Yuki-kun even when they're fighting and he even gave up going to school just to make sure I could finish. He's a very hard worker-"

"He's just a little rough around the edges," Number Two said coming up and she squatting down next to the table with her arms crossed across the surface. "He's got bright red hair!" She smiled at Tooru and tilted her head to the side, displaying a heart-shaped enameled clip she'd pinned in her hair. "What do you think? Is it me?"

"It's very cute," Tooru agreed. "I like the color." It was a pretty iridescent blue.

"Don't wear it in Yamato's class," Umi said. "He'll confiscate it."

"Pfft, I don't want to talk about school," Number Two tossed her hair over her shoulder.

"Yes, let's talk more about Yuki's rough-edged brother. He dyes his hair? I think boy's with dyed hair can be cute, kinda idol-ish," Eiko grinned, "if they do it right."

"It's not dyed," Tooru corrected. "His hair is natural."

"Natural? Is he a half?" Eiko sat forward. "That would make Yuki a half too, wouldn't it?"

"Does he look like Yuki?" Umi asked, talking over Eiko, much to Tooru's relief. "I can't imagine living with two such cute guys."

"There is a family resemblance," Tooru grinned, happy to talk about both her guys. "Though their eyes and hair aren't anything alike. Kyou-kun is taller and his shoulders are broader. His hair isn't as long as Yuki's. All the So-... er...Sato family are really beautiful people. Yuki-kun's older brother is as beautiful as a-" Tooru stopped, she'd almost slipped about Ayame being almost as beautiful as woman. She'd almost slipped about Ayame!

"An idol?" Eiko said excitedly.

"The bad-boy type maybe," Number Two admitted. "I could totally see him in a drama as the "cute but evil" guy who tries to steal the "noble and cute" guy's girl as a part of a revenge scheme."

"So that makes Yuki the noble and cute guy and Tooru the girl," Umi pointed out. "So has he ever tried to "steal" you?" she teased.

"What? No!" Tooru covered her mouth. She wasn't going to say another word about Kyou. She was only going to get herself in trouble.

"You're so easy to tease!" Number Two laughed.

"I want to meet this older brother," Umi said, rubbing her hands and grinning. "Beautiful bad-boy idol type? Yum!"

Eiko smiled and inclined her head towards her friend. "Plus, bonus, he's single!" She furrowed her brow. She looked at Tooru, "Well, I'm assuming..."

"No he's not!" Tooru burst, incensed. She quickly got a hold of herself, and hoped her outburst hadn't seemed too suspicious.

"He's not single?" Number Two, apparently not too concerned. She stood as the waitress came up to the table. "He's not dating anyone in the dorms, I haven't seen him talk to anyone."

"Have you been waaaaatching hiiiiim?" Umi's wide mouth took on a teasing lilt along with her voice. "Do you liiiiiike the baaaad boy?"

Number Two flipped her hair back and forth, posing. "Me? Go after a bad boy? Nevaaar!"

"No, never." Eiko rolled her eyes and took her dinner from the waitress. "Your last one was a real winner. Is he out of jail yet?"

"Don't be silly, the charges were dropped!" Number Two waved a hand. She caught a look of Tooru's shocked face. "We're joking, Tooru-chan! Joking! I've never had an ex-con boyfriend." She winked "A couple who've gotten detention, but nothing that extreme. Ah," she looked back at her table. "My food is here too. Talk to you later!"

"But she does like them on the rough side," Umi winked. "Better tell your brother-in-law to watch out."

"Eh-heh-heh-heh..." Tooru weakly laughed. "Brother-in-law" was almost as bad as "brother," but it was the story she'd have to stick with it. She wondered if there would ever be a time when she wouldn't have to lie anymore.

"Don't be selfish now, Tooru-chan," Eiko waved a finger. "You can't keep all the cute boys to yourself."

"Give some other girls a shot," Umi agreed. She picked up her club sandwich and took a bite. "Though I'd like to see said mythical cute boy before deciding if he's worth the chase."

"You should totally have us over," Eiko ate a fry of her plate. "Akane-" Umi gave her a quick look and Eiko quickly corrected herself with a quick glance towards the Akane's table. "_Number Two_ is always going over to Tsubaki's house, so we haven't been to the dorms in forever."

"Then we could meet your cute brother-in-law," Umi stole one of Eiko's fries. "And meet your cute boyfriend, I've only seen him in the halls."

"You're so lucky," Eiko slapped Umi's hand away from her plate. "He's super cute, and he must be smart if he made it into A class."

Tooru quickly swallowed a bite of her meatloaf. "Yuki-kun is very smart!" she agreed. "It's because of his help that I tested well enough to get into B class."

"Do you think he'd tutor me?" Umi asked eagerly. "If I can get my grades up I can get into B class next semester." At Tooru's look of confusion, she quickly explained. "In a couple of months, after midterms, everyone's grades are ranked and the classes are reorganized." She sighed. "I need to get out of C class."

"It hasn't gotten any better?" Eiko asked, sipping on her soda and looking concerned.

"Better?" Tooru asked, pushing her food around her plate. It was pretty good, and she bet that Kyou would like it. She planned to eat half and bring the rest of him, there was more than enough. She doubted he'd go down to dinner. She felt a little guilty about asking Yuki to make sure Kyou ate. But ever since that short exchange, that little bit of normal bickering in the doorway, she couldn't help thinking that if the two of them just _talked_ maybe this strangeness would go away.

"Umi was B class last year, but-"

"I kind of tanked my finals." Umi frowned into her dinner. "My parents are _still_ mad about it. This is one of the first times I've been allowed out."

"I'm sure Yuki-kun wouldn't mind looking over your homework," Tooru said, thinking she wouldn't mind if Umi was in her class. Then maybe she could eat with Umi and Eiko at lunch instead of Akane. In fact..."He usually does some review at lunch if you want to eat with us tomorrow."

Umi laughed, "Sorry, no thanks." She cast a glance at the Akane's table. "I'm not going up against Akane for a cute boy's attention." She smiled over her sandwich, looking devilish. "Buuuut, if you invite me oooover..."

"I'll ask," Tooru smiled. "I'm sure Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun won't mind." She looked around. "Excuse me," she said and gestured to the hall with the bathroom sign and escaped.

She pushed her way into a stall, put the toilet cover down and sat. She just needed a minute to herself. She was sure that Yuki wouldn't mind if she put together a study group. And Kyou would let himself get stared at by a few girls if she asked. She smiled to herself, he'd probably tolerate it for all of five minutes before he'd escape the apartment and climb up a tree.

No, the boys would be fine with her inviting friends over. She wasn't sure if _she_ was okay with it. Inside her apartment was her sanctuary, even now with things so confused. In there she didn't have to pretend that Kyou wasn't her boyfriend, or be careful _how_ affectionate she was with Yuki. She just wanted to preserve that one spot for herself. Was that so wrong?

She looked down at her hands, clasped together tightly. A glimmer of red caught her eye and she stroked her bracelet, letting the butterfly clink softly against her fingernails. "Mother, things are so _complicated._" She tapped the butterfly and brought it to her cheek. "What would you have done?"

She felt like she hadn't a real conversation with her mother in months. She used to talk to her every day, and even though she knew her mother was gone, she'd always felt like she could hear her advice in her heart. That voice was silent now, and she felt the loss keenly.

"You would have known what to do, wouldn't you?"

She stood and flushed the toilet for show. She took a deep breath and prepared to go face the scary high school girls that were waiting for her. She was ashamed of herself, she was sure that her mother's voice was silent because she'd become so far from the person she wanted her to be.

She was selfish, she didn't want to share Yuki and Kyou with anyone. She was judging everyone by standards they shouldn't have to live up to. She shouldn't blame high school girls for being high school girls. She would have been those girls if she had stayed at Shigure's house and hadn't run away. Hatori would have taken her memories, and she'd probably be living happily (though obliviously) just like the girls in her class. The most important thing in her life would be midterms and if she'd be in class with Hana and Uo again. She might have even found a boy to dream about, just one boy, like everyone else.

She walked out of the stall and washed her hands.

But she didn't regret any of her decisions. If she had stayed, and let herself be mind-wiped into forgetting all about her boys, then while she was dreaming of some other boy, Yuki would have been trapped back in the darkness by Akito's side. What would be happening to Kyou didn't even bear thinking about. And there weren't enough high schoolgirls to make her want to give up the feeling she got laying between them in the morning, or the fire of Kyou's kiss or the feel of Yuki's hand as it inched along her skin.

_I'll figure this out, _she thought. _I'll make this work. _

She'd invite those girls over and make friends like Yuki kept encouraging her to. She'd figure out how to get Kyou and Yuki talking again, or at least fighting out loud instead of the silence they shared now.

She pushed her way out of the bathroom, full of determination. A flutter of paper caught her eye at the end of the hall and she paused for a moment.

"Excuse me," she said to a passing waitress. "About this..."

::0::0::

Kyou laid on the rug and thought about eating something.

He rolled over and twitched the curtains on the sliding door to the side. He peeked up at the sky. The last bit of color was now gone. _One of them should be home by now._ He looked up at the ceiling lamp, still off even though the room was now dark. He could stand up and pull it on now that it was dark out, but that would require getting up.

His stomach growled. He patted it and let the curtains fall closed. He was hungry but he didn't feel like going downstairs by himself. He could take some of the money the Rat had stashed in the bottom drawer and go get something from one of the convenience stores around the area. But he'd been to most of the stores looking for work, and didn't really feel like spending money at places that had brushed him off. Eating at one of the restaurants alone was too lonely to think about.

He looked at the fridge. Tooru probably had something he could eat in there. But he didn't know what she needed to make lunches tomorrow. He didn't want to eat something he shouldn't and then see her make that scrunched up "I'm trying not to look disappointed" face.

There was a knock at the door. Kyou hefted himself off the floor and reached up to turn on the light._ Finally, _he thought, _Bet the Rat forgot to give the key to Tooru... "_Lock yourself out?" He asked as he opened the door. He blinked when he realized it was Morikawa. "Oh, uh..."

"I figured I'd get these back to you before Tooru got home," she ducked her head and handed him his clothes. He'd left them by her door earlier.

"You cleaned them already?" Kyou said taking them back. She had them nicely folded, but he couldn't resist shaking them out to see if the muck was gone from the back of his clothes.

"It's easier to clean things if you do it right away," the girl smiled, and pushed her glasses up. She gestured to the clothes. "Everything came out pretty easily. I didn't even have to scrub."

"Thanks," Kyou said bringing them over to the light so he could see them better. There wasn't a speck left. "They look perfect."

"You should put them away so that Tooru-kun doesn't find out." Morikawa suggested, stepping inside the door.

"No, it's okay," Kyou said, and started to fold them up. "She'll be okay with it... it was just, I'd already ruined one set..."

"Right, well, I just wanted to thank you again for helping out with Maya's accident. Urishima would have found a way to blame me too. It's always the RA's fault."

"Old bag just enjoys being angry." Kyou snorted.

"She just likes money," Morikawa corrected. "It would have meant fines for everyone."

"How is the cleanup going?" Kyou ducked into the side room and put the clothes away in the drawer.

"We got most of the water out of the bathroom, it's about as dry as its going to get," Morikawa ticked off the facts on her fingers. "There were three rooms effected, and one only slightly. If Tooru-chan can help us clean up the water stains, we can pretend it never happened."

"I'm sure she'll be able to do it."

Morikawa nodded, and looked over her shoulder. "We even got it cleaned up in time to catch the end of dinner." She shrugged a shoulder. "I was thinking... if you hadn't eaten yet..."

"Dinner?" Kyou was surprised she'd come by. Usually when they ate together it was by meeting downstairs on an agreed time. She didn't seek them out.

"Maya is waiting downstairs, too." Morikawa looked at her watch. "If we don't go soon..."

"Y-yeah, sure." Kyou said, nervously smoothing his clothes down. He gave a shy smile, "Why not?"

Morikawa responded with the most natural smile he'd seen so far. "Great, lets go."

::0::0::

When Yuki finally returned to the room. He was surprised to see the room dark. He opened the door and peeked his head inside.

"I'm home," he said to the empty apartment.

He looked around. Tooru hadn't been back, her school bag was missing from it's spot. He looked at his watch. He didn't think she'd be out this late. And where was Kyou? He never kept looking for work after the sun went down.

He turned the light on and went to change out of his school uniform. It was odd being in the apartment alone. He'd never been here when one of the others weren't. He stepped back into the main room and scratched his head. He looked at his watch again. Dinner was just about over, he didn't think it'd be worth it to go downstairs.

At least this way he could say honestly that he hadn't seen Kyou to remind him to eat. He found himself tiptoeing around the room, the quiet felt strange and stifling. He heard a something in English faintly playing from the room next door. Peter was home, and probably hosting some of the other exchange students in his room again... watching one of the DVDs his parents sent of movies that hadn't even been released yet here in Japan.

He sat at the desk and opened up his bag. He should get started on his homework before they got home. If he could finish his work he'd be able to go over Tooru's when she got in. He pulled out his papers and spread them out. He was finding his own coursework to be easier then he thought it would be, for all that the other students in class A liked to trumpet about how hard they were worked. He got up and got a bottle of water and an apple from the little fridge.

He stopped to fiddle with the clock. There was a radio on it, and he really needed some sort of noise other then the faint chatter of English from the next room. He got it playing something forgettable and soft and set down to work.

It was a relief to let the cool figures and equations of math roll over him. He followed it up with some translation, Japanese to English and some English to Japanese. Homework was simple, you just found the right formula to apply to the problem and it was solved. There was a definite right and wrong answer to every question. And he was good and finding the right answer.

There were no shades of gray to chemistry question, or uncertainty in a historical facts. Things were either true or false, choices were a, b, or c. It was relaxing to have things so tidy, neat and easy to organize. This, at least, he could control.

He knew that he wasn't winning any friends by falling so easily back into school work. The other students in his class felt threatened by him. The teachers, especially Yamato, played it up. They saw it as an opportunity to get the other students fired up. Yuki didn't care. They could all scramble about, jockeying for position in class, and they could hate him. It wasn't anything new. He had everything he needed in the simple routine of doing homework. He could lose himself in it and not have to think about anything else.

He'd gone on a job hunt after school. He'd never had the courage to ask Kyou for his employment guides, so he'd wasted a little money and gotten one of his own. He'd had a friendly reception at a couple of places he'd applied at, but those receptions had quickly cooled. Once they found that he couldn't heft, lift or strain himself at least not for a few weeks yet, the convenience store and delivery jobs had turned him away. He wasn't sure what else he could apply for... Nothing else seemed to pay a reasonable rate for the work they expected you to do or he didn't have the skills for.

Perhaps he could make some money tutoring... There had been fliers in the library and in the dorm cafeteria. He could make up his own, and there wasn't a subject that he couldn't figure out well enough to teach it. But could he make enough money doing that?

He glanced at the clock and wondered again where Kyou was. Tooru would ask when she got home, and look disappointed when he didn't have an answer. He didn't like the strangeness and awkwardness that had begun to grow between them. It was stupid to the extreme, and he knew it. Kyou hadn't meant anything with those little touches, and it was his own traitorous mind that was ascribing deeper meaning to them.

He shouldn't blame Kyou for his own freaky reactions. Despite learning what had happened back at the Sohmas, everything had been going well since the typhoon. Tooru had been getting better. They'd figured out, with some help, how to get everything they needed to get back on track. IF anything, Kunimitsu coming to Mai's restaurant could actually be seen as a blessing as it pushed them to actually move and take steps they needed to re-establish themselves in the real world.

Yuki sat back at his desk, out of homework to do and mind full of thoughts. He'd always known they couldn't stay up in the shack forever, but it had taken a typhoon to finally chase them out. He'd nearly let Tooru starve to death waiting for the "perfect" opportunity to arise to rescue them. At Mai's he'd tried his hardest to step up and be the pillar they needed to get themselves established, but it wasn't until the Sohma's had come knocking that things had finally moved, for all his careful planning things only seemed to happen after a disaster.

Now everything was in pieces. None of them were as happy as they had been at Mai's, and it felt like his fault. He could feel Kyou silently blaming him, and he didn't feel that Kyou was wrong for doing so. Tooru didn't blame him, but he could feel her worrying about him all the time which was worse. He'd started to feel better physically, but now he was going to pieces emotionally. And it wasn't as if he didn't know how to fix it.

He had to talk to Kyou. His brain shut down right about there and just wouldn't go any further.

A knock on the door roused him from his thoughts and he went over to see who it was.

"Dropping off one girlfriend!" Number Two said cheerfully, standing behind Tooru. "You should really get another key made."

"Ah, yes," Yuki agreed. "It hasn't been much of an issue so far."

"It wouldn't be," Number Two grinned, "the way you two are joined at the hip. But you'll be apart sometimes you know!"

"We keep forgetting," Tooru said over her shoulder to Number Two. "Usually we remember after we get home."

The girl waved a hand to indicate her understanding. "You're going to stop by tomorrow morning, right? We'll make lunches together." She was already heading towards the stairs.

"Yes, I'll come get you on my way down. Thanks for stopping at the grocery store with me." Tooru hefted one of her bags as she scooted indoors.

She waited until Yuki shut the door before she tipped up and gave him a peck on the cheek. He smiled at her and a slice of tension left his shoulders. He took her bags, and let her into the room proper. "Did you have fun?"

"Yes," Tooru looked up at him, "I did. I met a couple of nice girls, one is in my class, Eiko-chan. She and her friend Umi-chan want to come over and study."

"Anytime," Yuki said, though he dreaded having more girls like Akane hanging around. He set the bag on the table and spread his hands. "Just let me know when to be here."

Tooru took his hands and stood on tiptoe for another quick kiss, this one on the lips. He was startled at her being so affectionate, and she gave him another just for looking surprised. "They want to meet my cute boyfriend," she explained, she grinned as he blushed at the compliment. Oh, she had missed him and it had only been a few hours! Tooru looked around, "Where is Kyou-kun?"

They also wanted to meet her cute "brother-in-law." She started to unpack her groceries, she had news to share but she wanted to give it when they were together. She looked at her bag in consternation. She hadn't realized she'd bought so much, she wasn't sure if she could fit it all in the fridge.

"He wasn't home when I got here," Yuki said. He liked these little quick kisses, he was ready for more of them. He came up behind her put his hands on her hips. The sailor uniform was perfect for sliding his hands under so he could feel the soft skin of her stomach.

Tooru shivered at the feel of his fingers and turned in his grip to look up at him. He returned one of her quick kisses, then released her so she could face him. When she took the initiative to settle back into his hands he smiled at her. "I'm glad you had a good day."

"It was better then I thought it would be," Tooru amended and then wished she hadn't when Yuki's sweet smile dipped. "It was good," she assured him.

"Is there anything I can do?" Yuki asked. "Honda-san hasn't seemed too happy the past couple of days." He smoothed a thread of hair out of her face.

Tooru shook her head, disappointed she'd been so obviously discontent. "I've just been angry at myself," she admitted. "I don't like how I've been behaving." At his look of disbelief she tucked herself close, leaning carefully against his arm and resting her head on his shoulder. Her cheeks burned, "I've been selfish and mean in my thoughts about others. Mother would be so ashamed."

"Honda-san," he tipped her chin up to look at him, and Tooru was struck again how much he'd grown when she wasn't looking, "Your mother would never be ashamed of you. I can't even imagine you thinking mean things about people."

"I don't like Akane-san," Tooru confessed. "She's always trying to get Yuki-kun's attention. And she's not nice to the other girls." _Or me,_ she thought.

"Akane doesn't make herself very likable, I don't think that's any reflection on you." Yuki smiled, inordinately pleased that she was _jealous_ over _him_. Tooru! _JEALOUS._ "If it makes you feel better, we won't have lunch with her anymore. I just wanted you to join in with some of the other girls."

"Number Two is nice," Tooru allowed, dropping her eyes from his. "And I did get to meet some nice girls today." She sighed and stepped back from him, just a hair. "I think we should keep eating lunch with them, for a little while." She pouted at her own decision. "I think it would cause trouble if we didn't."

"Trouble?" Yuki frowned.

"Let's just keep things as they are for now," Tooru said, girl politics were too hard to explain.

"But-" Yuki bit off what he was going to say when a familiar voice sounded from the hallway outside the apartment.

"Well, someone's back," Kyou's voice said from outside. "We can ask-"

"It's late, if she doesn't want too-" an unfamiliar voice argued him. "Don't make her feel pressured-"

"Like I would!" Kyou said as he cracked the door open. He saw Tooru and Yuki in one of their semi-embraces through the slim opening and said loudly, "We've got company."

Yuki and Tooru broke apart quickly. Kyou opened the door once they'd gotten far enough apart and stepped inside. He kicked off his shoes and walked into the room, followed by Morikawa and another girl. Tooru thought it was the one who'd mentioned being in the art club the first day.

"Morikawa and Maya want to ask you something," Kyou said to Tooru.

"I'm Maya," the girl said shooting Kyou a look for not introducing them, he just shrugged.

"Kyou-kun helped us out with an emergency earlier," Morikawa explained. "Maya-chan had a problem with the downstairs bathroom sink."

"She broke the handle off and flooded the room," Kyou said.

"Kyou-kun fixed it!" Maya said excitedly. "Well, he got the water off and after I buy the washers, it'll be fixed-"

"But there was some water damage," Morikawa interrupted. "Kyou-kun said that you know a lot about cleaning up water and, well," the girl paused and looked up at Kyou, twisting her hands together. "I hope it's not too much of an imposition-"

"They want you to help clean it up so that the Old Bag won't charge 'em fees," Kyou interrupted, tired of the pussy-footing around. "I said you'd be able to help."

"Kyou-kun!" Morikawa's face burned bright red. "I was trying to ask _nicely_."

"Yeah, well, you were taking forever and it's already late." Kyou shrugged.

"Of course I'll help!" Tooru said, looking back and forth between Morikawa and Kyou, amazed that how comfortable they were together. "Is it too late to show me?"

"No, there were only three rooms effected, the rooms either side of the bathroom and one below it. The residents all know we might be coming by. We talked to them at dinner."

"I'm going to help too," Maya piped up. "'cause it's sort of my fault that it happened. Only, its not really, because Kyou said it happened because the washers are old-" She caught the glance Morikawa sent her way and settled down. "Just tell me what to do."

"She has to see what she's dealing with first." Kyou snorted. "Idiot."

"Bully!" Maya retorted. "Meanie!"

"Brat!" Kyou countered.

"Kyou-kun!" Tooru protested, shocked.

"Don't mind them." Morikawa said, "They've been teasing each other all through dinner. Let me show you the rooms." She gestured to the door.

"Yes, lets." Tooru said, shaking her head. She decided she would have to stay out more often if this was how Kyou responded. He'd somehow gotten Morikawa to act like she had when they'd first moved in, and had apparently made friends with Maya enough that he was comfortable enough to speak his mind.

"I'll go too, just in case the water damaged anything structural," Kyou said letting the girls walk in front of him.

"Structural?" Tooru asked, looking at him over her shoulder.

"Water can weaken drywall and plaster," Kyou shrugged, "stuff like that."

"Ah." Tooru nodded. "Oh, did Yuki-kun eat dinner?"

Still standing by the table, Yuki shook his head.

"I brought home leftovers," Tooru gestured to the styrofoam box. "Please eat while I go take a look."

Yuki nodded and watched Kyou leave with the gaggle of girls. Watching the door shut get felt vaguely guilty for every time he left for school with Tooru. It really didn't feel nice to be the one left behind.

::0::0::

Tooru snuggled happily into bed that night. "I'm so proud of Kyou-kun," she whispered under the blankets to his back.

Kyou looked over his shoulder at her. "What? Why? Because I can turn a knob? Don't be stupid." He turned back and laid his head down.

"Because Kyou-kun showed everyone what I see," Tooru said plucking at his sweatshirt.

Rolling over, he grinned down at her. "Oh, yeah? And what do you see?"

"That Kyou-kun is a generous, kind, hard-working person." Tooru gave him a light tap on the nose with her finger, and when he while he was still cross-eyed from trying to follow it, kissed him. It was light and he could feel her smiling against her lips.

She drew back and smiled up at him, stroking his cheek. "I'm glad they got to see that side of Kyou-kun, and that you seemed happy today." She hadn't missed that he'd been feeling down, and she'd felt his frustration building. Some of that was gone now.

"Yeah, you too." Kyou put his hand over hers on his cheek. He pulled the hand away and gave her a kiss on her palm. "Have a good day?" He didn't relinquish her hand.

"Better then I expected," she said glancing back at Yuki. He wasn't watching them, he just stared into his pillow. "It was good."

She felt Yuki shift to his side, and snuggle a little closer like he did when he was preparing to go to sleep. She relaxed a little more when she felt him begin to play with the ends of her hair. He hadn't said much since she'd come back from helping Morikawa and Maya, but she figured they would have time to talk tomorrow on the way to school. He hadn't slept well last night so she figured his quiet now was just due to exhaustion. If he was playing with her hair, he'd be asleep soon.

"Tell me about it," Kyou said softly, drawing her attention back. He hadn't gotten his time alone with her today. When they'd come up from fixing the dorm's problems, the Rat had reminded her right away about her homework. "Everything."

Tooru chattered at him about the girls in her class, painting a rosier view of school than she actually experienced. She let him in a little on Akane and her general dislike about the girl, though it was harder to explain with Kyou never having met her. It was difficult to explain how mean her comments came across, because taken alone and out of context they didn't sound as ill-tempered or cruel as she'd felt them. She told him about her teachers, the ones she liked. She told him about the shopping trip in detail, the stores they visited and the things other girls bought.

Kyou watched her talk, liking to watch the expressions chase across her face. She'd had two modes for so long, worried and sad, that it was good see her perk up. He didn't pay too much attention to what she was actually saying. Tooru had such a garbled way of telling stories that they were practically impossible to follow. He was just happy to see her smiling for real for a change.

She gasped, and then dissolved into giggles.

"Oi, what's so funny?" Kyou asked.

"Yuki-kun fell asleep," Tooru said, and buried her face in her hands.

"So?" Kyou looked over her shoulder at the Rat. "Oh."

The Rat had burrowed his face into the girl's back and his hair was tickling the back of her neck. As Kyou watched the other boy nuzzled her, setting off a fresh set of giggles. "I don't know how you stand him doing _that_ every night." Yuki shifted and brought his arm up in front of his chest and then slung the other over her stomach.

Kyou had a fresh appreciation for how difficult the sleep-snuggling Rat made it for her to rest. Now when she got up in the morning to go make bentos, if not blocked, the Rat would slide over and snuggle up to him like he had a couple of times at Mai's. It wasn't comfortable. Kyou dreaded the morning that Yuki would wake up in a compromising position and freak out. It hadn't happened yet, either Kyou managed to escape or Tooru got the Rat off before waking him up, but it seemed only a matter of time. He figured he might have to start getting up when Tooru did...

Tooru's face softened and she looked back at Yuki. "I like it."

"What's to like about it?" Kyou snorted. He knew that Yuki's elbow had to be jabbing into her back as they were talking.

"I like to feel him close," Tooru said, still gazing at Yuki's sleeping face. "I like hearing his breath in my ear, and the weight of his legs on mine." She looked up at Kyou. "I like it when both of you are close. It makes me feel safe."

"Close?" Kyou's voice dropped a little as he rolled closer to her, putting his forehead against hers. "This close?"

He was so close it was hard to look in his eyes. She could feel his breath on her lips. "Closer," she whispered, eyes fluttering closed. He didn't move and she added a soft encouragement, "please."

She felt his lips on hers and then his hand on her hip. His kiss was insistent and she felt her lips forced apart to accommodate him. His fingers dug into her hip through her sweatshirt, bunching the fabric up. She gave a little gasp when she felt another hand stroke at the newly exposed skin.

Kyou didn't know the reason for her gasp, and didn't care. He used it as an excuse to explore her deeper. He moaned and rolled forward a little with the rest of his body, wanting more contact. He pulled her hips to his and tangled his legs with hers. He was vaguely aware of his toes brushing up against Yuki's, and made sure to keep their contact minimal.

"Mmmm," Tooru moaned into his mouth and Kyou felt her hand clench on his elbow. She arched forward a little bit, but Yuki had her trapped in place and she couldn't move enough to transform Kyou. Yuki shifted a little, his legs unthreading from hers as he spooned closer to her form. His hand splayed on her stomach, exerting pressure to keep her still and close to him.

Kyou's hand on her hip slid up to tangle in her hair. He pressed on the back of her head, forcing her to change her angle and lift her chin to meet him. She felt like he was trying to devour her whole. There was raw need in Kyou's kiss, and the giving part of Tooru felt compelled to fulfill it. Her fingers on his arm clenched and unclenched.

For his part, Kyou felt like he was pouring out every ounce of frustration he'd felt the past week. She tasted so good and everything felt magnificent. He could feel her tongue against his and she was making these wonderful little noises. They broke apart, gasping for air and he got even closer, kissing her cheek, the underside of her jaw, her neck as she arched. Today had been awful, but if he got to end it like this Kyou didn't care if every day was like that.

Somehow one of his legs had got between hers and she clutched it tight with her thighs. She was moving slightly, squirming against him and he realized he was moving too, rhythmically, his hips against her.

"Kyou, Kyou, Kyou, Kyou-" She was chanting under her breath as he panted against the skin of her neck, kissing and nibbling. She lifted her head trying to see what he was doing and he slipped an arm underneath her, propping her head up higher and giving him a good angle on her ear. She gasped and moaned when he nibbled on her earlobe. "Ohh... what-" She wasn't forming coherent thoughts so she didn't mind when Kyou moved back to her lips and started another breath-stealing kiss. "Mmmm," she moaned.

Yuki clutched her back, eyes locked into the fist of his hand grabbing her sweatshirt. He'd woken up spooned to Tooru's back, one arm crossing his chest and holding on to her shirt while the other was under it on the skin of her stomach. She was moving, gently, against the leg that was threaded through hers. Kyou's knee was poking him in the thigh every time he moved, but worse was that when she moved, she moved along the whole length of Yuki's body. Her rear shifting steadily against his hips and thighs and he could feel her shoulder blades move against his cheek.

He was afraid to move his hand against her stomach, afraid they'd discover he was awake. But he could feel her stomach muscles contract and undulate as she and Kyou tried to live with out air.

He couldn't see what they were doing, afraid to lift his head, but he could feel it in every squirm she made. He could hear it in every pleased rumble in Kyou's throat and every wet noise where they connected. Every time they broke apart for air Tooru made little pleas that sunk right into his blood and lit it aflame.

"Oh, mmm, yes, please, K-kyou...d-don't-mmmm-" Tooru started to arch forward again and instinctively Yuki tightened his grip around her middle, keeping her in place. His fingers scraped against her skin as he clenched the hand at her stomach into a fist, and his arm became a band of steel as it kept her hips from leaving his. Her only response was to quicken her rhythmic squirming, and Yuki couldn't keep his hips from answering hers as he bumped against her.

Kyou was giving strange little hums of appreciation and encouragement as they shifted and squirmed against each other, and the little noises seemed to electrify Tooru who was shaking under their fingers.

"Mmn," Kyou hummed in a deep rumble, "oh, mmn...like that-"

Yuki gave a little whimper in his throat, he hoped drowned in the deep noises Kyou was making or the constant stream that was coming from Tooru. His body was moving in concert with theirs if he wanted it to or not. This was so wrong, they shouldn't be doing this with him _here_ and he shouldn't be letting them while he was awake.

But if he admitted he wasn't sleeping, they'd break apart. Tooru would feel the evidence of his excitement pressing against her. How didn't she feel it now? He could feel her against it every time she pressed back. Her skin was fire under his arm. When he felt her stop trying to pull away, his muscles relaxed. He could feel something brushing against his knuckles under her shirt. In trying to keep her from moving his hand and shifted so that it fisted just under her rib cage. He splayed his fingers again and could feel against the tips of his fingers her breasts moving under her shirt as she gasped, squirmed and moaned.

Kyou could feel Tooru tugging on his sleeve, trying to get him to come closer then he dared. He could feel her moving and was shocked at how primed his own body was to her rhythm. When her other hand fisted in his hair, not letting him move from her lips he was shocked at how demanding she could be. Usually she let him lead in their kissing, letting him decide how to eat her up. Tonight she was just as insistent to decide where they were going to go.

He really liked it.

Sometimes he thought she let him kiss her just because she thought she ought to, because the Rat had said girlfriends _do things_ with their boyfriends. This proved it was something she wanted, desired, as much as he did. God, he felt like he was stifling in his shirt. He had to get it off.

"Wai-" he said against her lips, and she swallowed his protest. "Wait!" He said insistently and backed off, slightly sitting up."I have to-"

"Kyou-kun," she breathed and looked up at him with glazed eyes, tracing her lips with her fingers.

"Oh, Jeeze..." Kyou started to reach for her, forgetting his shirt and she held out an arm to him to bring him back to her. But there was something off. He glanced at the hand on her stomach, and then over her shoulder. The Rat...

"Wait," he said again, his voice firmer. He took a deep breath and ran a hand through his hair.

"Kyou-kun?" Tooru said, sounding forlorn and confused.

"Oi, uh... Rat?" Kyou said, trying not to sound nervous.

Yuki didn't answer, but he did stop breathing. Damn Kyou! How did he know?

Tooru looked up at Kyou and then over shoulder. Once Kyou had said something she realized that Yuki wasn't breathing deep and easy any more. She thought she could feel him trembling, even as he clutched her tight. "Yuki-kun?"

His arm on her waist tightened as Kyou watched.

"Rat?" Kyou said again, propping himself up higher to try to see over Tooru's shoulder, certain now the Yuki was awake.

Tooru looked up at Kyou and shook her head. Yuki was shaking, and she was afraid of what he might do if pressed. He might end up hiding in the bathroom again.

"I'm sorry we woke you, Yuki-kun," Tooru said. "We didn't mean to."

"It just kind of happened," Kyou muttered, sliding back under the covers feeling both cheated and ashamed. "Sorry."

Sorry they'd woken him, or sorry they'd been doing that while he was there? Yuki just released her and rolled to face the other way. "I'm tired," he said and proceeded to ignore them both. His body was still excited, and he was disgusted at himself for reacting to them. What was wrong with him? Shouldn't his first reaction have been hurt or anger or repulsion?

Tooru shot a dismayed look at Kyou, but he just shrugged a shoulder. He was tired of trying to talk to the Rat and just getting a strained look or silence. He felt a little guilty for starting something while Yuki was right there, but not enough to get past the cold shoulder he'd been getting the past week. He was probably just pissed off that he was kissing her after her bath. Maybe the Rat was afraid he might get Cat germs if he tried something with her in the morning.

Tooru slid back into her place, staring at the ceiling with heart still thudding in her chest. She hated this feeling, like she'd done something she oughtn't. There hadn't been any sort of formal agreement that they wouldn't "do things" when the three of them were in the same room, but she felt like she'd broken some sort of rule anyway.

She turned her head on her pillow, looking at Yuki's back. His shoulders were hunched and she knew he wasn't sleeping now. She looked back at Kyou and he just gave another one-shouldered shrug. She supposed it was wrong to wish that he could fix whatever had just happened, especially since it was her fault as much as his, but...

At her pleading look Kyou sighed. He couldn't refuse her anything. "Just snuggle up to him," he whispered softly, more mouthing the words then speaking them. Tooru frowned and ducked her chin, staring into her pillow. She usually waited for one of the boys to come to her. Every time she'd followed her instinct to show her affection to them it seemed to go wrong, like now. She was starting to feel that her feelings were like sharp-edged weapons that she didn't know how to wield properly. She just injured herself and everyone around her instead of protecting and helping them.

"Go on," Kyou hissed. He couldn't believe he was pushing her at the damn _Rat_. It was the Rat's fault everything was going all weird and pear-shaped.

Tooru nodded and rolled over. She hesitated a moment more and then moved close to Yuki's back. His shoulders tensed, becoming even tighter when she placed a hand between his shoulder blades. She bit her lip, uncertain. Was it normal to want to touch like this all the time? It seemed to make Yuki so uncomfortable. No, she wanted even more than this. Feeling a swell of determination she pushed herself forward and laid her cheek on his shoulder.

"What..." Yuki said softly.

"I can't sleep if Yuki-kun isn't close," Tooru said. "I want him here, like this... like always." She pressed close, spooning him. She crossed her chest with an arm and slung the other over Yuki's hip like he usually did to her. Instead of relaxing into her touch he just tensed further, and for a moment she thought he'd break out of her embrace completely.

"Please don't run away from me," Tooru whispered. "I know Yuki can't always say what is in his heart. But let me feel it, and please... please feel what is in my heart." She pressed up closer. She had a secret love of Yuki and Kyou's backs. She could touch so much of their backs without being afraid of transforming them. She nuzzled into his back and let her hand on his hip slide under his pajama top to feel his skin.

It was hot to the touch and she felt his stomach muscles clench. He shifted and for a moment she thought he'd throw her off completely. Then she felt fingers over her hand. She lifted her hand a little and let him thread his fingers through hers. He sighed and a lot of tension melted out of his frame. Tooru smiled and tucked herself as close as she could.

"I had Yuki-kun all wrapped around me, and I wanted to feel Kyou-kun this close too," Tooru explained. "I like it best when both are close to me."

Yuki closed his eyes. "I understand," he whispered. He wasn't enough for her.

Tooru didn't think he did so she tightened her grip and tried to melt into his back, moving her arm in his back, since she didn't need to worry about transforming him. She couldn't explain her own feelings, so she wasn't too surprised that he couldn't understand them either.

She glanced over her shoulder at Kyou, and sent him another pleading glance. He scooted over and mimicked Yuki's usual pose, even bringing an arm up between them to dig into her back.

"Like this is best," Tooru sighed, she wished she could get the both of them to understand. Maybe if they were the one in the middle, feeling warmth from either side, they'd understand. She couldn't see Yuki or Kyou consenting to such a thing. A memory of their hair mixed on the pillow yesterday morning made her smile. She felt Kyou tug the blankets over them, they'd fallen down a bit and her hands were occupied.

Yuki felt Kyou pat the blanket into place, and shrunk a back into Tooru's embrace. He wanted things to go back to normal between them. Like it had been at Mai's... was that even possible any more?

::0::0::


End file.
